Orphans
by Wohitzi
Summary: During a search for the prince's mother, Zuko and Katara find an young orphan in the ruins of a village. They decide to take the girl with them, not knowing the events it will lead to.
1. Chapter 1

Sokka, Katara, Toph, Aang, Haru, The Duke, Teo, Hakoda, and Suki had gathered in a group. The listened with a mix of emotions as Zuko explained his plan to search for his mother, having heard rumours about a woman who fit her description living in a village not too far from the temple.

"It'll only take a few days," he promised. "Aang's almost mastered Firebending already, so it's not like I'd be wasting time."

Aang shrugged, glancing at the others as he said, "I don't see a problem with it."

The others murmured in agreement, nodding their heads and shrugging their shoulders. Katara crossed her arms.

"I don't think it's a good idea," she said, eyes locked on Zuko's, daring him to argue.

"Why not?" he asked, fists clenching. She was always the one to speak against him, no matter what the subject was.

"How do we know you're not gonna run off to the Fire Lord and lead him straight to us?"

Everyone groaned. Despite the ex-prince's acts of heroism and displays of comradery, Katara was determined not to trust him.

"Oh, come on," Sokka whined. "Give it up already! Even you can't deny he's been nothing but good to us since he joined."

"He and his family have a history with manipulation."

The subject of the siblings' short spat growled with annoyance. "Alright. If you don't think you could trust me enough to let me go search for my _mother_"- the emphasis on the word did not go unnoticed by the waterbender, bringing back memories of an old conversation –"then you can come with me."

Katara laughed humourlessly. "Yeah, and let you torch me while we're away from the others."

He smirked. "What, you don't think you can defend yourself?"

Oblivious to his trap, she took the bait. "Oh, I'm _perfectly_ capable of not only defending myself, but kicking your ass in the process."

"So, what's the issue of going with me? And don't say you just don't wanna deal with me, because you're stuck with me whether I stay or leave."

Balling her fists at her side, the waterbender tilted her chin up, jaw muscles clenching. "_Fine_. We leave tomorrow after lunch." Then she turned and stomped off to her room.

Sokka stared in the direction his sister had gone, then turned to Zuko. He shrugged. "Your problem, not mine."

Toph sidled up beside him, smirking with pride. "I gotta hand it to you, Sparky. That was pretty sneaky." As a reward, she punched him in the arm. Without another word, she disappeared to a different part of the temple.

By then the group had split up, drifting off to their own tasks. Nursing his sore arm (it would probably bruise in the morning), Zuko looked at the only person left: Aang.

"Want one last lesson before I go?"

"Sure," the airbender said, shrugging.

The pair practiced their bending in silence.

XxXx

The next afternoon's lunch was tense and quiet. Katara had spent the majority of the day trading glares with Zuko and leaving instructions for the group – how to do laundry, what food they had, how much they should spend on groceries, etc. It was reminiscent of a mother getting her family prepared to take care of themselves before she left on a long business trip; fretful and stressed and angry at the person making her leave.

Zuko's portion of the meal was lumpy and cold, the last scrapings of the leftovers from the previous day's dinner. He ate without complaint, however, used to such treatment and knowing Katara's was probably worse. She always served herself last.

Besides, he was too busy thinking about the journey ahead to worry about less-than-appetizing food. What if he actually found his mother? What would he say, how should he act? Would she accept him?

What if she wasn't there?

Silently, he shook his head, turning his attention to things he could control – time, disguises, and rationing.

"Are you okay?" Aang asked, apparently noticing the ex-prince's odd behaviour.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "Just thinking."

The others eyed him curiously (except Katara. She glared), but said nothing.

"You must be excited," Hakoda commented after a moment. "You're very lucky to have a chance to see your mother again."

"Yeah," Zuko agreed, acutely aware of the way the faces of the water Tribe family fell sadly. His stomach filled with guilt and pity - they deserved to be reunited with their mother more than he did.

The rest of the meal was eaten silently; everyone's minds on their missing loved ones.

XxXx

Once all the bowls were emptied and the group had gotten passed its solemn moment, they all gathered to wish Zuko and Katara luck on their journey.

"Try not to be gone too long," Aang said as Katara hugged him.

"We will," she said, pulling back and smiling.

"Don't kill Sparky while you're gone, either," Toph added.

"That I can't promise."

Zuko frowned, but said nothing.

After another moment of good-byes, the pair left, riding Appa across the canyon, then making the rest of the journey on foot.

Twenty minutes later, Katara was already lagging behind and moody. "Remind me why we aren't flying, again?"

"Because we don't want to attract attention," Zuko grumbled.

"Well, that's stupid."

Rolling his eyes, he mentally questioned why he had gotten himself stuck with the waterbender.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Zomg, another chapter fic! o Yeah. I'm gonna have a lot of stuff to keep up with. xD_

_Anywho, this was just a little plot bunny that popped into my head a few weeks ago. Not entirely happy with how this chapter turned out, but I guess it's okay. _

_Tell me what you think! _

**Disclaimer: 'Avatar' and all its characters are property of Mike and Bryan.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Spirits, where are we _going_? Ba Sing Se?"

"Katara, we've only been walking for two hours."

"_Two hours?_ How much farther is this place?"

Zuko bit his tongue, holding back a retort and the urge to smack his forehead against one of the many trees surrounding them. The waterbender had done nothing but complain and argue and generally annoy him for the duration of their trip. Obviously, walking wasn't her preferred method of travel.

"You know what I think?" she said, making him wonder if she ever stopped talking. "I think you're leading me in circles."

"And why would I do that?"

"To tire me," she said. "You know, make me too exhausted to fight so you can pummel me then get on with your evil scheme."

"Okay, you caught me. That's _exactly_ what my plan was," Zuko said, words dripping in sarcasm.

"Don't mock me," Katara said, the glare she had fixed on the back of his head intensifying. "Even if that wasn't your original intention, I _know_ you think it's a good idea."

Rolling his eyes but making no comment, he quickened his pace. The girl yelled at him to slow down, running to catch up.

They walked mostly in silence (Mostly being the keyword. Katara still made the occasional aggravating comment), until finally the sun began to lower beneath the horizon and a small village came into view.

Well, the remains of one, anyway.

Cracks lined the uneven earth, the ruins of collapsed buildings scattered across the area. At first, it appeared to be the results of an earthquake. But then they noticed things the earth didn't do naturally – pillars of rock jutting crookedly out from the ground, pinning people against the few standing walls, crushing their bones; walls of charred earth rising in the middle of the streets, shields against the villagers' attempts at self-defence; spears piercing now-lifeless bodies.

Katara stared in wide-eyed disbelief. "Oh my God," she breathed, barely audible.

Zuko surveyed the destruction, stomach churning when he realized there were no survivors.

A muffled whimper sounded from one of the collapsed buildings.

He glanced at Katara. She nodded. "I hear it, too."

Cautiously, she approached the rubble, one hand poised at the waterskin on her hip. Grunting, she pushed away one of the larger rocks.

A quivering ball was sandwiched between two boulders, head buried in her arms, legs tucked up against her chest. A terrified, but alive, little girl of five years old.

She lifted her head, peaking up at them through tangled bangs and swollen eyes. "Y-you won't h-hurt me, will you?" she hiccupped.

"No," Zuko said, stepping into her view. "We're gonna help you."

She nodded, allowing him to gently lift her from her hiding place. Again, she whimpered, indicating injury. Laying her down on the ground, he stepped aside, giving Katara room to start healing.

"Can I go to sleep?" the little girl asked, head already lolling to the side.

"Sure," Katara said, smiling kindly. "Resting is a good idea."

As the girl drifted to sleep, Katara placed a water-coated hand to her forehead, liquid glowing as she began to heal. Zuko watched in silence, trying to make sense of everything. Why had this village been attacked so ruthlessly? It wasn't exactly a Fire Nation stronghold, so no advantage could be gained. And it seemed doubtful that the villagers had provoked the attack.

Then again, what did he know? There was no way to tell what had happened just by looking at the wreckage.

"I'm gonna go look for more survivors," he said quietly, rising to his feet. Katara nodded mutely, too engrossed in the task at hand to speak.

Carefully, he picked through the collapsed buildings, trying to focus on the rubble and not the corpses. Silently, he counted the survivors. After ten minutes of searching, the tally remained the same.

"Did you find anyone?" Katara asked when he returned, her focus still on healing the girl.

Noting how civil she had been acting since they had discovered the orphan, Zuko shook his head. "No."

Her shoulders sagged, whole body seeming to deflate. "Well, one's better than none," she murmured.

They were silent for a moment, trying to focus on the positive instead of the negative and failing miserably.

Everyone, the entire village, was dead.

"Was this your mom's village?" Katara finally asked.

"No, that'll be at least another day's walk." Gesturing to the child, he asked, "How is she?"

The waterbender smiled slightly. "Pretty good."

He nodded, and that was the end of their conversation.

XxXx

Without discussion, they both decided it would be best to take the girl with them. She was young and homeless and needed someone to take care of her. It would be cruel to abandon her.

Deciding on where to take her was another issue.

On the one hand, they were very close to where Zuko's mom was suspected to be – half way there, in fact. There might be someone there who could adopt the girl.

However, it was dangerous - the people who had attacked her village might be there. Plus, she would slow them down considerably. A day's journey might turn into two or three days of walking.

They could just turn back and return to the temple. It was safe there and plenty of people could look after her. Problem was, all those people would have to leave and carry out the invasion plan, which definitely wasn't a safe environment for a five year old.

Zuko and Katara sat in a forest clearing not far from the destroyed village. Trying not to wake the child, they discussed their options in hushed voices.

"I say we take her with us," Zuko said. "There's a higher chance of danger if she comes to the temple, and we really don't have the ability to take care of more people. Especially not a child."

Katara shook her head, returning to the habit of arguing with everything he said. "What if the village we leave her in gets attacked, too?"

"That's a chance. The invasion promises danger."

"Who says she has to come with us? Someone can stay behind and –"

"_No_! Our forces are already weak, we can't afford to let go of anyone else."

The waterbender opened her mouth to retort, then, seeming to have no idea what to say, clamped it shut. With a huff, she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "_Fine_."

The pair sat in tense silence for a few moments, eyes locked in a wordless battle, both wondering why the other had to be so difficult.

"I'll stay up and keep watch. You go to sleep," Zuko finally said, shifting his gaze to the crackling fire.

"No, _I'll_ keep watch. _You_ go to sleep."

The offer wasn't made out of kindness, but instead mistrust. Nonetheless, the ex-prince agreed, crawling into his sleeping bag and shutting his eyes, trying to forget the day's events and find sleep.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Errr... Sorry for how crappy this may be. I edited it at 10:20pm, so my brain's not at it's best. Also, I'm worried about writing a small child. Dx_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	3. Chapter 3

Zuko was awakened by a sharp poke in the ribs. Groaning, he squinted his eyes open, expecting to see Katara's hateful stare.

Instead, he was greeted by curious brown eyes.

"Are you awake?" the little girl asked, poking him again.

"I am now," he grumbled, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"It's about time," Katara said from her place by the campfire. A small pot sat on the flames, delicious smelling food bubbling within. "Breakfast is ready."

Without a word, Zuko crawled out of his sleeping bag and walked over to the fire, taking the bowl the waterbender offered to him. Sitting, he ate in equal silence.

The little girl joined them, looking back and forth between the teens. Frowning, she waited for someone to speak, annoyed by the silence.

"My name's Nikko," she finally announced.

Katara smiled. "That's a nice name. I'm-"

"Ursa," Zuko finished for her. She shot him a suspicious glare, which he ignored. "I'm Lu Ten."

"Okay," Nikko said, then continued eating her meal, apparently satisfied by the small conversation.

The group continued eating silence. Throughout breakfast, the ex-prince was painfully aware of the glances Katara kept sending him. The moment he swallowed the last of his food, she tapped him on the shoulder and asked to speak with him in private.

Once out of Nikko's earshot, the waterbender crossed her arms and said, "Okay, what's with the fake names?"

"I'm just being cautious."

"_Why_? What motive could she possibly have for ratting us out to the Fire Nation?"

"None. But she's a kid, and kids will say things if you ask the right questions."

Katara frowned but didn't speak. There was nothing she could say.

"What are you guys talkin' about?"

Zuko jumped, crying out in surprise. Chuckling nervously, he scratched the back of his neck and said, "Nothing. Just... trying to figure out where to go next."

"Okay," Nikko said, then skipped back over to the campfire. He sighed in relief.

"You're a pretty good liar," Katara said, narrowing her eyes at him. Sighing again for a much different reason, he prepared himself for the inevitable argument.

"Aaah!"

A cry of pain caught the pair's attention. They turned to see Nikko sobbing beside the fire, nursing a red hand.

"Oh, Nikko!" Katara cried, rushing over. "Why would you do something like that?"

The little girl sniffled. "My daddy always does tricks with fire. He can grab it and make shapes with it."

Patiently listening to the story and the noting the use of 'can' and 'does' instead of 'could' and 'did', the waterbender gently held Nikko's hand. Coating it in cool, soothing water, she said, "Your daddy must've been a firebender, then."

Nikko nodded, watching in open-mouthed awe as her burns healed completely. "Are you magical?"

Katara smiled. "No, lots of people where I'm from can do this."

The girl's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "I wanna go there!"

"Well, it's very far away, so I can't take you there just yet," she said, inspecting the now-woundless hand. "There! Good as new."

"Thanks!" The girl said cheerfully, giving her a hug.

"You're welcome," Katara said, returning the embrace. Pulling away so she could meet her eyes, she grew stern. "Now, do you promise not to play with fire anymore?"

She nodded.

"Good."

With that, she got to her feet and returned to where Zuko still stood.

"You're pretty good with kids," he observed.

"I've had to be, seeing how I wasn't the only person without parents back home," she said coldly, arms crossed over her chest.

The ex-prince sighed, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, I'm sorry about what happened to your village, but I didn't have any control over it, and I can't change the past. So, can we just... drop it and be civil for once?"

Opening her mouth to retort, then hesitating, Katara seemed to contemplate. She glanced back at the child, who was obliviously flicking pebbles into the fire. Refocusing her gaze on Zuko, she said, "Fine. But I'm doing this for Nikko, not you."

Then she stomped away, through the trees and toward the sound of a gurgling river.

XxXx

Sitting at the water's edge, Katara grumbled moodily to her distorted reflection. Why did she have to open her big mouth and get stuck with Zuko? Every fibre of her being hated the boy and his past actions, things she could not, _would_ not forget. He was evil and ruthless, a fact he had proved on more than one occasion.

Yet, everyone – all her friends, the people he had hurt – had forgiven him, let their guards down and welcomed him. Did they not remember the awful things he had done, the way he had chased and harassed them and tried to capture Aang? Were they really that stupid?

Shaking her head, she mumbled "They're not stupid, just hopeful. They like to believe people like him can change..."

Ba Sing Se flashed through her mind, the glow of green crystals and sting of betrayal filling her thoughts.

"_I thought you had changed!"_

"_I _have_ changed."_

She clenched her fists. She couldn't forget, couldn't risk him turning his back on them again.

Taking a deep, calming breath, she turned her thoughts to a new subject – Nikko. Instantly, her heart ached with sympathy and pity. The girl seemed oblivious to the extent of what had happened. If she knew, she would be filled with remorse and confusion, not happiness and curiosity. Katara wondered how she could ever explain something as horrible as death to the child.

More importantly, she wondered what could have provoked the Earth Kingdom to attack the village. Sure, they were at war with the Fire Nation, nut such a small village seemed like an insignificant target – it would have hardly any impact on the outcome of the war.

Was it just anger and thirst for revenge that fuelled the attack, like when Jet tried to flood the town in the valley? It seemed plausible, but the idea made her stomach do flips. The war had turned so many people into savages.

That was why it had to end; so more innocent people weren't corrupted or killed or forced to deal with consequences of another's cruelty.

Glancing up at the sky, she sighed. She had been moping around for quite some time, judging by the sun's position. After splashing a bit of water on her face, she got to her feet and headed back to camp. There was no sense staying any longer than she needed to.

* * *

Author's Notes: _I'm really not happy with this chapter. x.x I just... don't like how it turned out at all. There was more to it, but I've decided to cut it out and put it in the next chapter. Though, I might just cut it out completely, 'cause I hate the next scene. xP_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	4. Chapter 4

When Katara reached the small clearing they had set up camp in, she noticed Nikko watching Zuko with great interest.

He looked focused, moving his hands in smooth, skilled motions. Flames danced at his fingertips, and she quickly realized that he had created a small, dragon-shaped fireball.

The burning creature soared through the air, following Zuko's expert hands like a puppet. It dipped and climbed, leaving thin trails of smoke behind it. Nikko watched in joyful wonder, eyes wide and sparkling in the firelight.

Observing his little show, Katara wondered what had possessed him to do such a thing. It didn't seem like he was training – it was too flashy to be training, and it was nothing like any of the exercises he did with Aang. So, was he just showing off? Trying to entertain Nikko?

Crossing her arms and shaking her head, Katara decided to just ask him about it later. For the moment, she was going to enjoy his performance.

The grace and skill of his movements did not go unnoticed by her, and even she couldn't deny it was beautiful sight. Fire may have caused her unbelievable pain, but she could still appreciate the talent of someone who knew how to wield it.

Zuko made one last, flourishing movement, extinguishing the dragon in a puff of smoke. Nikko began clapping enthusiastically, earning a grin and a bow from the firebender.

Straightening, he noticed Katara and his smile immediately vanished, his face instead taking on a tired and slightly annoyed expression. Without waiting to be called over, he approached her. "What now?"

"Nothing," she said. "Just enjoying the show."

"Is that sarcasm or honesty?"

"Mostly honesty. "Though, I _was_ wondering what gave you the sudden urge to become a performer."

He shrugged. "The kid said she was bored. I figured I'd try amusing her."

"Okay," Katara said, walking passed him, a clear signal to the end of their conversation. Kneeling by her sleeping bag, she began rolling it up. "We should pack up and start moving."

Nodding, then realizing the waterbender had her back turned, Zuko said, "Sounds good to me."

The pair said nothing else as they gathered their things preparing for the long road ahead.

XxXx

"Where are we going?" Nikko asked, obediently following Zuko and Katara through the densely packed forest.

"I'm looking for someone," Zuko said simply. He didn't want to give out too many details, even if only to a child."

"My parents?"

Instantly his heart sank. He exchanged a glance with Katara, who nodded solemnly. They would have to tell her.

Stopping, the firebender took a moment to think, searching for the right words.

Kneeling in front of Nikko, she gently placed her hands on the little girl's shoulders, saying in a calm, quiet voice, "Your parents are... gone. They went to the Spirit World."

Nikko frowned slightly. "When are they coming back?"

"They can't come back," Katara explained sadly, watching as the child's eyes widened and filled with tears.

"N-never?"

She shook her head. "Never."

Tears rolled down Nikko's face, sobs choking her as she hiccupped, "W-where do I g-go?"

"We're gonna find a nice family for you to stay with," Katara said, pulling her into a soothing embrace. Her own eyes prickled with tears and she fought to keep composure – no sense making things worse.

Burying her head in the older girl's shoulder, Nikko continued sobbing. Standing off to the side, Zuko watched awkwardly, uncertain of what he should do.

After a long, solemn moment, the two girls pulled apart. The younger one wiped at her tears with the palms of her hands, face red and puffy.

"Come one," Katara said, offering a hand and a smile. "Let's keep walking."

Nikko grasped the waterbenders hand, her own warm and moist with tears.

Then they kept going, shuffling along at a slow but steady pace. No one spoke. The only sounds were birds chirping and twigs snapping and the orphan's sniffling.

Zuko sent Katara a curious glance, mouthing, "Is she okay?" To emphasize his question, he nodded toward the child.

Katara's head moved in a 'yes' motion.

The short exchange ended and again no one spoke, silently or otherwise.

The group walked quite some time (an hour? They didn't know – no one kept track). The waterbender was itching to complain about the distance but, not wanting to make a bad example, opted to shoot glares at the former prince and 'accidentally' step on his heels when she fell behind.

Zuko just gritted his teeth and focused on the goal (well, 'goal_s'_ now that they had the kid to worry about), knowing his suffering would end soon. At the same time, he marvelled at how well the younger girl was keeping up. She hadn't said a word of complaint the entire trip.

As if on cue, Nikko stumbled, tripping over her own feet and falling hard on the ground. Sitting up, she smiled sheepishly. "I'm tired."

Without discussion, they decided to take a break, sitting down and leaning against the towering trees. Nikko nursed a scraped knee, which Katara began healing the moment she noticed it. Frowning, Zuko wondered if it was really a good idea for her to reveal her abilities. However, he made no comment, not wanting to ruin the peaceful atmosphere.

For a while, they just relaxed, enjoying the short break and warm, sunny day. It was hard to believe two out of three of them hated each other and the other had just discovered she was an orphan.

Glancing up at the sky, Zuko sighed, dreading the inevitable end to their rest. But they couldn't sit around forever, and so the trio was soon back on their feet, continuing the long walk to their destination.

They continued that way for the rest of their trip – an hour walking, fifteen minutes of rest, an hour, fifteen minutes, repeat, repeat, repeat, until finally the sun hung low in the sky and it was time for a very long rest.

Katara and Zuko set up camp, quietly discussing sleeping arrangements. The first night Katara had stayed up in case whoever had destroyed Nikko's village was nearby. Nikko (who had already been sound asleep) slept in the waterbender's sleeping bag, while Zuko slept in his own. Now the child was very much awake, demanding she be allowed to sleep alone and refusing to back down from her decision. However, they had only two sleeping bags.

"Should we argue?" Zuko whispered, unrolling his sleeping bag. "You know, try convincing her she doesn't need her own bed?"

Katara mimicked his actions, whispering, "No, she's had a hard enough day as it is. Let's just leave her be tonight. She can have my bag."

"Well, where will you sleep?"

She noted the concern in his voice, but quickly shrugged it off as an act. "I'll be fine on the ground."

"It's cold," he pointed out.

"I'm from the _South Pole_."

"Yeah, and you wore a parka and probably used a sleeping bag."

Growling, she shot him a glare. "What makes you any better at dealing with the cold?"

"I'm a _fire_bender," he smirked.

I thought you told Aang that firebending required an already-present heat source?"

The smirk vanished. "Okay, so I'm no better off than you. That doesn't mean you should freeze."

"So, what do you suggest we do?" she asked, clearly not willing to back down from her decision.

Smoothing out the wrinkles in his sleeping bag, Zuko seemed to hesitate. "You know, this is big enough for more than one person..."

Furrowing her brow, Katara asked, "What does that have to do with"- her eyes widened –"No. No, no, no, no. We are _not_ sharing!"

"Either we share or both freeze."

A few feet away, Nikko, stirred, rolling over and mumbling. Realizing that their arguing would eventually wake the child, Katara sighed and frowned, reluctantly agreeing. Ten minutes later, they lay back-to-back with barely an inch between them, trying to ignore each other's presence and fall asleep.

* * *

Author's Notes: _sdfas. D: The Firebending scene and 'breaking the news to Nikko' scene are my least favourite in this chapter. I'm not too fond of the walking part, either. Fscdk. I hope you guys still like it, though. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	5. Chapter 5

In the morning, the two teens vowed never to speak of the previous night to anyone.

They ate a simple breakfast, both too tired to have any sort of argument (which, in a way, was a good thing). Apparently, Zuko talked in his sleep ("You kept mumbling about turtle-ducks and crazy girls."), and Katara kicked in her sleep (though, the firebender was positive he had heard her giggle a few times after her foot hit his shin).

Needless to say, the bedtime arrangements weren't working for them.

Nikko, on the other hand, was as well rested and energetic as ever; convincing her to "Sit still' and "Stop talking so much" was quickly deemed an impossible task.

After their quick breakfast, Zuko and Katara began packing up, preparing themselves for the long walk ahead. On the plus side, Nikko's energy meant they could take less breaks.

Then again, the two benders were exhausted.

'_We'll just have to deal with it,' _Zuko thought, snuffing out the campfire he had lit to cook breakfast. He knew that their trip would be a lot longer than they planned if they continued at the previous day's pace, and that time wasn't exactly something they had to spare. Not with the day of the invasion closing in.

Katara was, quite reasonably, dreading the long journey. If she got exhausted after a full night's sleep, how could she hope to get _anywhere_ with only a few hours of rest? Still, she knew she had no choice but to grin and bear it.

And she did – she really tried. However, not long after they started walking, she began dragging her feet and falling behind. The sun above was hot and merciless – they had reached an open field, so not even the shade of trees could offer protection. Thirst nagged at her and her legs begged for rest.

Finally, when she thought she might collapse, Zuko stopped and said, in a voice that sounded as tired as she felt, "Let's take a break."

"Oh, thank Yue," she sighed, immediately falling to her knees. Tall, dry grass surrounded them, rising high above her head when she knelt and housing many pesky bugs, but she didn't care. Grabbing the waterskin on her hip, she pulled off the cork and began greedily drinking the refreshing liquid. Why hadn't she remembered it until _now?_

Once she had quenched her thirst, she handed the waterskin to Nikko, who drank the remaining water. Glaring at the waterbender, Zuko thought to mention his own thirst, but said nothing. No sense starting a fight.

Lying on his back, he tried to cool off in the shade of the grass. It was only slightly affective. His mouth felt dry and his clothes stuck to him with sweat and he desperately needed a drink of water.

"Do you have any more water?" he finally asked.

"Nope."

"Well, can you find some?"

Sighing as though it were some daunting task, Katara moved her fingers through the air, clustering together all the moisture around them. A few drops of water formed.

"Sorry, the air's too dry," she said, sounding anything but apologetic as she flicked the droplets at him. They splashed on his face, offering annoyance in place of refreshment.

Zuko wiped the water away, a scowl planted firmly on his features. Nikko watched the exchange with interest.

"You two fight a lot," she commented, swatting a bug on her arm. Making a face, she flicked the bug's squished body off her skin. "Are you married?"

In a flash, Zuko was sitting upright, blushing and sputtering as he tried to find the words to correct the child's terrible misinterpretation.

However, Nikko took his flustered response as a 'yes', and continued asking questions. "How long have you been married? Do you have kids? Will you be my new mommy and daddy? At least until you find me a new family?"

"Well, um, ah," the ex-prince stammered, still in the process of trying to correct her assumption of their marriage.

"Sure," Katara said in response to the last two questions, wearing a wide smile. Something about the expression seemed fake to Zuko, but Nikko didn't notice – she just beamed and continued talking.

Staring at the waterbender in disbelief, Zuko tried to comprehend what had happened. Did she... did she just say they were _married?_ And that they were temporarily adopting the kid (Okay, that part was true), and that she could call them 'mommy' and 'daddy' and whatever else she wanted?

... _Married?_

Seeing his bewildered expression, Katara glared, silently promising pain if he revealed the truth. He kept his mouth shut, but his brain continued on overload.

Really – she told the kid they were _married_!

Stretching her arms above her head, Katara closed her eyes and sighed, seeming relaxed and refreshed. Letting her arms fall to her sides, she asked, "Why don't we start walking again, _Lu Ten?_"

The extra emphasis on his fake name did not go unnoticed, clearly her way of reminding him of his own lies.

He nodded, getting to his feet and trying to ignore his thirst and exhaustion and confused thoughts.

* * *

Author's Notes: _I guess this chapter isn't _horrible, _but I'm still not happy with how this fic is turning out xP I think it's because it feels so long and pointless to me. Hehe. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	6. Chapter 6

Katara was very pleased.

For once, it was _Zuko_ who was suffering through their walk, not her. Served him right, too, after everything he had done to her in the past.

It was an added bonus that in an attempt to make Nikko feel more security and normalcy, she managed to majorly freak out the firebender.

Karma, she decided, was a very good friend.

So was Nikko, since she was the one who presented the opportunity to baffle the ex-prince. It was nice, seeing him feel so confused. Somehow, it made Katara feel more in control, like she was the leader for once. After having him decide everything – where to take Nikko, what to do for sleeping arrangements, when to start and stop walking, planning the trip in the first place – it was refreshing to feel like she had some small amount of power, like she could start giving out orders on what they did and when they did it. Probably a childish and irrational way of thinking, but that didn't make it untrue.

As it was, she did have a say in at least one thing at the moment. Because of Zuko's exhaustion and thirst, they had made some sort of unspoken agreement that she would choose when they rested.

Part of her insisted she should push him beyond his limits, make him walk until he collapsed. Another, more humane and rational part said to continue at the same pace as before – he should be able to handle as much as her.

Glancing over her shoulder, she noted his tired, shuffling steps, the way he sweated and kept half-stumbling. Even Nikko was faring better than him. Regret and guilt gnawed at the waterbender. Maybe she _should've_ given him a little water...

Sighing, Katara stopped and said, "Okay, let's take a break."

She expected him to collapse unto his knees and thank the Spirits like she had earlier. Instead, he remained on his feet, motioning for her to come closer so they could speak in relative privacy.

Ah, time for questioning.

"What's up?" she asked innocently, approaching with a smile. Zuko knew it was fake and answered with a frown.

"What was all that about?" he asked in a quiet hiss.

"All what?"

"Saying we're _married_."

Rolling her eyes and sighing exaggeratedly, Katara said, "I wanted Nikko to feel secure. If I told her we fought because we want to tear each other's throats out, I doubt she would feel very safe."

He flinched at her expression of such intense hatred, growling, "Well, you don't have to give an explanation as blunt as that."

"Well, what would you say?"

"I'd say we're not married and we just... don't get along very well."

She raised an eyebrow. "So, basically my example of a _bad_ explanation, minus the violent part?"

Narrowing his eyes, the corners of his lips tugged down even more. "Alright, I guess I can see your point."

"Good."

"But now she's probably gonna start asking why we don't _act_ like a couple."

Waving a hand dismissively as she sat on the dry ground, she said, "We'll figure that part out later."

He grumbled under his breath, but settled for resting instead of fighting. The sun was mercilessly hot, making him feel like he was being roasted alive. Seeing trees in the distance, he wondered if Katara would be able to get more water there.

The buzz of cicada-ants filled the air, both irritating and calming. Intense heat overwhelmed Zuko, making it impossible to relax and enjoy the chance to rest. Thinking the Spirit must get some sort of sick pleasure from torturing him, he sat up warily, wiping sweat from his forehead. He looked out over the vast field they had just travelled through, amazed at the distance they had covered.

And then he noticed something approaching.

"Katara," he said, tensing instinctively, "I think we've got trouble."

"What are you-" she started, then saw the rapidly moving figures. "Oh no."

"What? What's wrong?" Nikko asked glancing between the two benders nervously.

As Katara tried to comfort the child, Zuko ran through their options. They could wait to see if the people were friendly – if they were, great, if not, then they would just have to fight them. A risky plan, since the three of them were tired and only he could fight. Who knew what the strangers might do to them if they were enemies.

On the other hand, they could run away to a relatively safer hiding place. But, again, they were tired and probably wouldn't get far, not when the potential enemy was so much faster.

So, they would have to compromise.

Getting to his feet, he said, "Take Nikko and run. I'll hold them off."

"What?" Katara cried, bewildered. "No! I'm not leaving you here!"

For a moment, the firebender dared to hope that she was starting to warm up for, starting to care for his safety.

""You probably planned this," she spat, snuffing out his brief hope for friendship.

"Do you really wanna risk finding out that I _didn't_ and get captured?" he growled. "It's not just your life you'll be gambling."

The waterbender remained where she stood, eyes locked with his. He could tell he had hit the right spot with the last comment, but still worried about the extent of her stubbornness.

Thankfully, she took Nikko's hand and began leading her away, muttering, "Let's go."

Turing back to the advancing figures, Zuko was able to distinguish them as a group of seven rather intimidating looking men and women, all riding ostrich-horses. Some carried spears, others hammers, and some held no weapons.

A part of the former prince instantly knew that these were the earthbenders who had attacked Nikko's village. It wasn't really based on logic or any sort of evidence – it was just an intense feeling that seemed to overwhelm his ability to reason. Like an instinct.

The warriors spotted him, their pace slowing.

"Who are you?" one of them barked, a muscular man with scruffy brown hair and a spear.

"I'm just a traveller," Zuko said, hoping his voice sounded calm and didn't betray the lie. "Who're you?"

Ignoring his question, an unarmed woman who had her hair pulled back in a bun said, "You're Fire Nation, judging by your clothing and those eyes."

Zuko tensed, cursing his lack of disguise. He had planned on getting one in the first village they passed through, but, well, that didn't work out, seeing as it was demolished.

Then again, he would've been disguising himself as a Fire Nation peasant, so it wouldn't have made much of a difference.

The man who had spoken first eyed him suspiciously, as though trying to match his face to a name. "What village are you from?"

He blurted the first name that came to mind. "Oyuko."

Several of the warriors began laughing.

"Hey, Doyo," a lanky man in back said to the man at the front, who seemed to be a leader of sorts, "isn't that the place we just passed through?"

"Yes, I believe it is," the other smirked. "Nice little place before we destroyed it."

"Guess we should finish the job," a husky woman suggested, reaching for the rather large hammer at her side.

Immediately, Zuko moved into a defensive stance. Then he hesitated.

Would it really do any good to fight right now? He was tired and nearing dehydration and it was one of him against seven of them. He would be slaughtered.

Reluctantly, he lifted his hands above his head as a sign of surrender. It was better to let himself get captured alive – at least then he had a chance of escaping.

Despite his obvious sign of surrender, the thugs still deemed it necessary to wrestle him to the ground and throw a few punches before they bound his hands and feet metal cuffs. They hefted him like a sack of flour onto the back of one of the back of one of the ostrich-horses, then took off at a gallop that jarred his ribs and almost threw him off.

From the shelter of the woods, Katara and Nikko watched the scene unfold, one worried, the other confused.

When the ostrich-horse came thundering toward them, Katara pulled Nikko away with her, ducking behind a bush. Miraculously, it worked, and the only person who seemed to notice was Zuko. As he passed, he sent the waterbender a silent message through his eyes.

'_I told you to run.'_

* * *

Author's Notes: _OMG, something is actually happening. D_

_I hope you guys like this. I'm actually kinda happy with how it turned out - probably because its more than bickering and walking. xD _

_And, yes, I'm aware that I'm late updating my other, Ba Sing Se AU. The chapter won't cooperate. Maybe I'll get it up this weekend..._

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its contents. **


	7. Chapter 7

They didn't run.

Instead, the two girls stayed where they were, Katara with her head buried in her hands and Nikko asked a million questions but no answers.

The waterbender also found herself uncharacteristically worried for Zuko's safety.

'_It's not because I actually _like_ him,'_ she told herself. '_I just don't hate him enough to not care if he dies.'_

She had to save him. She knew this without question, without a doubt. How she would accomplish this was an entirely different issue.

First, she had to figure out where he was being taken – it would be impossible to free him from his captors if she didn't know where he was. After that... Well, she would figure that part out when the time came.

Getting to her feet, she quietly told the still-panicked-and-confused Nikko to follow her. The distinct markings of ostrich-horse footprints were still clear on the ground, so all they had to do was follow them. If all went well, the tracks would be just as clear the whole way to wherever Zuko was being taken.

"Mommy?" Nikko asked as they hurried through the wooded area.

It took Katara a moment to remember that she had said the girl could call her that. Snapping out of her thoughts, she looked down at the child expectantly. "What?"

"Why did those people take him away?" she asked, voice wavering slightly. "Are they gonna take him to the Spirit World, too? Like with everyone else?"

Katara felt her eyes well up, a stab of pity and remorse stinging her heart. '_Those must be the people who attacked her village,_' she realized bitterly. A child so young didn't deserve to lose so much – no one did.

Forcing her voice to remain steady and composed, she said, "No, Zu- I mean, Lu Ten," she corrected, remembering their fake names, "will be fine. I'll make sure of it. There's nothing to worry about!" Turning her face to Nikko, she flashed her a reassuring smile.

The girl just nodded uncertainly, proving herself to smart to be fooled by the waterbender's attempt at comforting.

Facing the path in front of her, Katara set her jaw and clenched her fists, twice as determined to free the prince. '_I might not like him, but Nikko thinks of him as her dad, now. I can't let her lose another important person.'_

With a goal set and motive in place, she quickened her pace, mind focused only on Zuko.

XxXx

They didn't run.

Zuko knew it even as he was dragged through the woods, too fast and too far away to see the two girls. He knew because Katara had never and probably would never listen to anything he told her to do.

Not that he blamed her, considering his past.

As the Earth Kingdom thugs thundered through the forest on their mounts, he tried to come up with some sort of plan for escape. However, such a thing was hard to do when he had no idea where he was being taken or how he would be treated. Still, he managed to slap together a few half-formed plans based on best and worst case scenarios, which was enough to calm the panic he felt rising in his chest. Well, almost.

What if he couldn't escape? What if he was killed? Would Aang be prepared to face Ozai? What would Katara say about him – good things; bad things? The truth? Would Nikko be okay?

Suddenly, his uncertainties of finding his mother didn't seem so bad anymore.

'_Okay, calm down,'_ he scolded himself, taking a deep breath, releasing it slowly. '_Uncle was captured before, too, and I had no problem getting him back.'_

Remembering why he had been able to locate his uncle, Zuko realized he would have to create some sort of trail for Katara to follow. If she even bothered searching for him, that is.

Knowing there was nothing holding him in place, he threw his weight to the side, rolling off the back of the ostrich-horse. His body was catapulted off the beast, and he landed hard on the earth, the impact jarring his body as sharp rocks stabbed into him.

As his captors tried to halt the speeding animals and shouted orders as they hurried back toward him, the former prince breathed a small hiss of fire, just enough to scorch the ground, but not so much that his captors would notice. He didn't need them getting suspicious.

Rough hands grabbed his shoulder, yanking him to his feet while someone yelled in his ear. The person shoved him back onto the ostrich-horse, just as they had before. Mentally, Zuko smirked – they were making this too easy.

XxXx

Shifting Nikko's weight on her back, Katara released a quiet sigh. The younger girl had grown tired of walking, so she had to carry her. Unfortunately, the extra weight was beginning to take its toll on the waterbender, exhausting her far too quickly for her liking.

She couldn't stop, though. Zuko was already way ahead, thanks to the faster travel on ostrich-horse, and she didn't want to risk something happening to him because she couldn't handle a little walking.

"What's that?"

Stopping, Katara scanned the area tensely, expecting something to jump out and attack. Then she noticed Nikko pointing towards her feet and looked down.

A small, black mark scarred the dry brown earth, barely the size of her palm. Kneeling, she brushed it with her fingers, then held them up for inspection. Her fingertips were covered in black and smelled ashy.

It was a scorch mark.

'_Zuko must have passed through here,'_ she though, readjusting Nikko and standing.

"What is it?"

"It's a scorch mark," Katara said, continuing forward. 'I think Z- er, Lu Ten was here."

She really needed to get used the fake name thing.

Happiness was evident in Nikko's voice when she asked, "Are we close? Can you find him?"

Smiling, she nodded. "Yeah, if he keeps leaving marks like this, it'll make their trail a lot easier to follow."

The younger girl beamed, leaning forward on Katara's back as though to make her move faster. Silently, the waterbender thanked whatever being had made her able to cheer the girl up – it was a relief to see her no longer worrying.

She hoped things would stay that way. For that, she would need to find Zuko.

XxXx

At the moment Katara found his first marking, the ex-prince was locked up in a metal cell that sat on the back of a carriage pulled by ostrich-horses. Outside his tiny prison was a small camp set up by his captors, who were sitting around the campfire, laughing and talking and stuffing their faces with food.

Hi stomach growled, reminding him of his own hunger. Frowning, he tried to convince himself that he had eaten, to will his body not to crave food.

Again, his stomach rumbled.

It wasn't just food he needed. Thirst nagged at him, too, even worse that it had before he had been captured. And he was sore – throwing himself off the back of a moving animal tended to do that.

'_Maybe I should've chosen a less painful method,' _he thought, slumping back against the wall of his cell. Hissing from the pain of hot metal, he tried to relax, knowing heat was good for strained muscles. Normally, he would use the controlled heat of firebending to ease his pain, but the restraints on his wrists made that rather difficult.

Sighing, he closed his eyes and prayed Katara and Nikko were faring better than him.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Not much to say about this chapter... I hope you guys like it. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	8. Chapter 8

It was hours before they found the campsite where Zuko was located. By the time they crept up to the edge of the tree line surrounding the clearing, an almost-full moon had risen in the sky.

Katara and Nikko were hardly tired. Their determination to find the former prince was all they needed to keep going.

"What do we do?" Nikko asked, keeping her voice to a whisper.

"You stay hidden. I'm gonna get him out."

The girl made no argument, just nodded and kept quiet, slipping behind a tree. Relief flooded Katara, glad she understood that this was adult business and was going to cooperate – she didn't have time to negotiate. Taking a breath to steady her nervous heartbeat, she crept forward, careful not to make a sound.

Loud, boisterous laughter caught her attention. Ducking behind a tree, she listened to the two people talking by the campfire.

"So, you're saying this guy we captured is a _prince_?"

"Not just any prince – he's _Ozai's son!_"

More laughter. "Oh man, we have good luck today!"

"You know what's even better? He's wanted for treason – we get a fortune just for sending the Fire Lord his son's bloodied corpse!"

They laughed again, longer and louder this time.

Katara's fists clenched, white-knuckled with restrained anger. Those monsters! Joking and laughing at the idea of killing someone. How sick could someone get?

'_You're not exactly guilt free,'_ a voice in the back of her head nagged (her conscience, she assumed), interrupting her thoughts. _'You threatened his life not long ago.'_

'_That was different! I was _defending_ Aang!'_

'_It's still murder.'_

Her gut twisted with a strange feeling (guilt? Regret?) but she ignored it, focusing on the task at hand. Even if she had done wrong in the past, she was making up for now by saving his sorry butt.

'_Kind of like how he's making up for his mistakes?'_ her conscience whispered again.

"Shut up," Katara muttered, then sucked in her breath. She waited, but the people at the campfire didn't seem to have noticed. Letting out a slow, careful sigh, she set work.

Back till pressed against the tree's rough bark, she carefully peeked around its trunk. A few feet away sat the men, one large and intimidating, the other small and lanky and wielding a spear. Both seemed relaxed, completely unconcerned of an ambush.

'_Guess the others went to sleep,'_ she thought, scanning the area for Zuko.

It didn't take long to find him – or, actually, what _held _him. The large, metal cell was hard to miss, gleaming in the red glow of the fire.

Knowing the only thing standing between her and freeing the former prince was the two men; Katara uncorked her waterskin, silently thanking Yue that she had remembered to refill it. Drawing the water out, she flicked it out, a lightning-fast liquid-snake shooting passed Zuko's unsuspecting captors, plunging them into darkness as it snuffed out the fire. The two men were on their feet in seconds, fumbling around in the dark as they searched for their attacker, barely visible in the pale moonlight.

As they searched hopelessly in the dark, Katara darted out from behind the tree, readying a stream of water. In a few fluid motions, she whipped the lanky one in the head, knocking him off balance and causing him to fall when another tentacle of water pulled his feet out from under him.

The other man was luckier – he had more warning of her strike. Stomping the ground and punching his fists forward, he bent several large rocks careening toward her. Leaping to the side, she skilfully avoided each attack, the last a little too close for comfort as it almost grazed her forehead. Not giving him another chance to strike, she pushed both hands out, sending a powerful burst of water rocketing toward him. It slammed into his chest, knocking him to the ground.

Once it was clear that the two weren't getting back up anytime soon, Katara turned her attention to Zuko's metal encasement. He had begun pounding against the walls, apparently worried she wouldn't notice him. With a smooth motion, she cut through the hinges with a razor-thin stream of water, causing the firebender to tumble out when he tried ramming against the door again.

Muttering an insult, he clambered to his feet, glaring. "You did that on purpose."

Putting her hands on her hips, she mocked insult. "Hey! I just saved your life!"

He offered a small smile by way of thanks. Then, noticing the water on the ground, said, "I thought you had not water left."

"I got it from the trees," she said, gathering it back into her waterskin which she then handed to Zuko. He accepted it without complaint, greedily drinking all of its contents.

Biting her lip, Katara watched him gulp down the dirty water, feeling guilt at the knowledge that it was partly her fault (who was she kidding? It was _all_ her fault) that he was so thirsty. If she wasn't so selfish and resentful and had just given him a drink earlier...

She shook her head. No sense dwelling on the past when there was so much to worry about in the present.

Once he finished drinking and handed back her now-empty waterskin, Katara lead him to where Nikko had patiently waited. A smile immediately found its way onto her face when she saw the girl curled up against a tree, eyes closed and chest rising and falling in the even rhythms of sleep. It seemed exhaustion had finally caught up with her.

Zuko lifted the girl onto his back (he insisted he would be fine and refused to let Katara carry her instead), carrying her to the new campsite where the waterbender had dropped off their stuff. The ex-prince's own possessions had been confiscated by the thugs.

_I'll have to replace it in the morning_,' he decided, far too tired to even consider making the trek to the nearest village.

A cool breeze rustled the trees around them, making Katara, who had just finished tucking Nikko into her sleeping bag, shiver slightly and rub her arms.

"Where's you sleeping bag?" she asked when he made no move to set up.

"Those Earth Kingdom thugs took it."

"Oh... Well, where are you gonna sleep?"

As she spoke, he moved over to a tree and plopped down, resting against its thick trunk. "I'll be fine here."

She frowned, forehead creasing."But it's cold out."

"It's not that bad. Besides, I don't have much of a choice."

"But-"

"What about you?" he asked, cutting her off. "Where are you sleeping?"

"I-" she faltered, glancing at where Nikko lay curled up in her sleeping bag. "I... guess I'm on the ground, too."

Another cool breeze tousled her hair. With a sigh, she joined him at the base of the tree, leaning against it and resting her head tiredly on his shoulder. He made no protest or comment, just grinned slightly before closing his eyes.

They were both too tired to bother each other that night and simply drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Not much to say about this. On the plus side, the fight scene didn't turn out as bad as I thought it might, and Katara's finally starting to let go of her ill-feelings -rejoices- _

_Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. D_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	9. Chapter 9

Zuko was awakened by a giggle.

Blinking his eyes opened, he squinted in the sunlight and tried to figure out who the sound belonged to, shifting into a sitting position. However, a warm mass of deadweight prevented him from moving.

Glancing down, he saw Katara snuggled close to him, eyes shut and breathing calm in the telltale signs of sleep. His arm was wrapped around her waist, and she her head was resting on his shoulder, her hair tickling his neck.

'_We must've moved while we were sleeping,'_ he thought, subconsciously reaching up to finger a strand of her hair. It was dirty and greasy from the days of travelling, but still somehow soft.

Nikko giggled again, earning a stern glare and a "Shh!"

Careful not to wake the waterbender, Zuko managed to slip away from her, leaning her resting form against the tree instead. He took a moment to watch her sleep, thinking she looked peaceful and innocent... and pretty.

Something inside the firebender decided that these were bad thoughts to be having, and that pondering on them would only lead to trouble. Which was ridiculous, since he had always known Katara was a pretty girl. He just... never acknowledged it until then. But, somehow, by admitting such a fact to himself, he began treading dangerous grounds and tempting trouble to come find him – at least, that's what the voice in the back of his mind said.

Another giggle pulled him out of his thoughts. "You're staring," Nikko said, smiling in a way that seemed to say her fairytale had just come true.

Tearing his gaze away from the sleeping girl, Zuko rose to his feet, surprised to discover his joints stiff and sore. A result of throwing himself off speeding ostrich-horses, being cramped up in a metal cell, and sleeping against a tree, he was sure. He had barely been standing a second when Nikko was throwing her arms around his waist, clinging to him like some baby koala-lemur.

"I'm glad you're okay," she said, voice muffled as she buried her face into his stomach.

The ex-prince reddened slightly, unsure how to react. Giving her hair a little tousle, he pulled free from her embrace, clearing his throat. "Um... W-what do you want for breakfast?"

She shrugged, still smiling happily. "Doesn't matter."

Kneeling by Katara's bag, he rummaged through it in search of food, He pulled out two apples, tossing one over to Nikko, who fumbled slightly, but managed not to drop it. They each took a bite of their fruit, moving to sit together at the center of camp. Without hesitation, she plopped onto his lap and asked for a story.

XxXx

Sitting upright, Katara winced slightly. Her back was stiff and she felt like she had slept on a bed of nails and leg seemed to be asleep, heavy as lead and tingly all over.

'_How long was I asleep?' _she wondered, blinking at the bright sunlight. When her eyes adjusted, the first thing she saw was Zuko, sitting in the middle of camp and talking in a hushed voice. It took her a moment to realize Nikko was sitting on his lap. Straining her ears, the waterbender tried to hear what he was saying.

"The Prince was unhappy, but he couldn't understand why. He had everything he had ever wanted – his crown, his palace, a lover, his father's acceptance – but he lost what mattered most: himself."

"How could he lose himself?" Nikko asked, wrinkling her nose in confusion.

"Because he wasn't following his heart," Zuko – obviously the subject of the story – explained. "He was doing what pleased his father, not what he felt was right."

Katara found herself nodding, silently urging him to continue. A useless action, since he had yet to see her, but an instinctive one all the same.

"Anyway, The Prince eventually realized what he was doing was wrong and turned against his father, joining the other Kingdom's fight against him."

"The one with the peasant girl and her friends?"

"Yeah," Zuko said, smiling softly.

Despite finding the name '_peasant girl'_ far from flattering, Katara found herself smiling as well. She wasn't sure why, but there was something about that story and that moment that made her _want_ to like him.

Deciding she had done enough eaves-dropping for one morning, she asked, "What's for breakfast?"

The other teen jumped, quickly turning his head to look at her. "Oh, you're up. Uh, we just ate some fruit."

She smiled, stretching her arms above her head with a contented sigh before crawling over to her bag and grabbing an apple. When she sat down beside Zuko, he was no longer looking at her, seeming intent on staring straight ahead.

Well, this was odd. Either he had decided to ignore her, or there was something amusing or hideous one her face. Turning away, she ran a hand across her face, feeling for anything unusual. Nothing. Looking back at him, she scowled – why was he ignoring her?

Nikko looked between the pair, frowned, and said, "I'm gonna draw in the dirt by that tree way over there." She pointed to a tree on the other side of the clearing.

"Sure," Zuko said, releasing her and still refusing to so much as glance at Katara. "Just stay where we can see you."

The older girl smiled, glad the five year old was perceptive enough to know when 'mommy and daddy' needed to talk in private. Focusing her attention back on Zuko, she bluntly asked, "Why are you ignoring me?"

His eyes flicked over to her, surprised, then quickly loomed elsewhere. "I'm not."

"Yes you are! You won't even look at me."

"Would you rather I stare at you all day?" he asked, forcing himself to face her.

"You know, there's some middle ground between obsessively staring and completely ignoring."

"This is a stupid fight," he said, crossing his arms and turning away again.

'_Only because you can't think of what to say,'_ she thought, but kept quiet. If he was smart enough to end an argument he knew couldn't win, well, good for him.

"So, what was that story you were telling Nikko?"

His cheeks reddened slightly, body tensing. "How much did you hear?"

"Just the part where The Prince realizes he's unhappy because he's an idiot," she said with a smirk. "Why were you telling her your life story, anyway?"

"She wanted to hear a story about a prince. I never heard any as a kid because, well, I _am_ a prince. So, I told her the only one I knew."

"I guess that makes sense," Katara said. Noticing Nikko leaned up against a tree on the far side of their camp, watching them patiently, she smiled. "You can come back over, if you want!"

The little girl was on her feet and rushing toward them in seconds. She plopped down beside Zuko, glancing from him to the waterbender expectantly, as though something amazing might happen at any moment.

"So, what's the moral?"

"What?" Zuko's head jerked up, gaze darting from his hands to her face.

"The moral – every story I was told had some sort of lesson to it," Katara explained, locking eyes with him and willing him not to look away.

He did anyway. "I guess it means to follow your heart through life, and that real love can't be bought or earned. It's unconditional." Before she could respond or even fully register what he had said, the firebender got to his feet. "We should probably get moving. I need to get a new sleeping bag in the next village."

Katara followed, helping Nikko stand and asking, "Isn't that your mother's village?"

"Y-yeah, I think it is," he said, clearly not realizing how close they were until she pointed it out. If the stuttering wasn't enough proof, his expression and the way his whole body stiffened at the mention of his mother certainly were.

"Well, we should hurry," she suggested, kneeling to roll up her sleeping bag. "The sooner we get there, the better."

He nodded, looking surprisingly depressed for someone about to meet his long lost mother.

Katara tried to ignore her concern.

* * *

Author's Notes: _So... basically nothing important happened in this. xD Zuko/Nikko bonding, I guess, and a bit of Katara/Zuko bonding? But, we're closing in on the Ursa/Zuko reunion, so I guess it's good to have a calm before the climax... or something. -making up excuses-_

_Anywho, hope you guys enjoy it. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	10. Chapter 10

That morning had been rather interesting for Zuko.

Not only did Katara catch him babbling his life story to Nikko (though, in actuality, the kid had no idea the story was about him), but she had also felt the need to pester him about ignoring her.

He wasn't _ignoring_ her, he was just looking at her less, because... Well, he wasn't sure why. Just that he didn't like how his sudden realization of her prettiness made him feel... uncomfortable, for lack of a better term. Because, now, whenever he looked at her, all he could focus on was her eyes and her smile and how wonderful she looked in Fire Nation red, and all sorts of other wrong, bad, distracting thoughts.

Oh, and to top it off, he was going to see his mother soon (hopefully). While most would consider it a good thing, it was most definitely _not_ for Zuko, as it made him nervous and worried and _scared_.

Scared because his mother might not recognize him, might reject him because of all his mistakes, might banish him from the only family, the only chance at happiness and love he had left.

That was a possibility no son wanted to think about.

The walk to the village went mostly unnoticed by Zuko. His legs just carried him there, his mind in another place entirely, running through every possible scenario of the encounter with Ursa. Usually they ended with her disowning him, though occasionally he tricked himself into believing she would greet him with open arms and tears of joy.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he nearly jumped out of his skin when Katara tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly, eyebrows knit together in confusion and concern. A part of him was glad to know she cared – the rest was busy thinking up an excuse for his odd behaviour.

"I'm fine," he lied, avoiding her gaze. "Just tired, and... thinking about what those earthbenders might be up to."

Actually, that wasn't completely untrue. He was curious about the thugs; they just weren't the current topic on his mind.

"Okay..." she said, eyeing him suspiciously and clearly unconvinced.

Trailing behind them, Nikko frowned as she tried to undo a knot in her hair. "I need a bath."

Zuko blinked. How long _had_ it been since they bathed? He and Katara hadn't since the day they left the Temple, and who knew how long it had been for Nikko? Suddenly aware of his greasy hair and grimy skin and over all dirtiness, the former prince decided that, yes, they were all in desperate need of a bath.

The waterbender answered before he could, saying, "Yeah, we could all use a good rinse. Why don't we stop at the next lake or river and get cleaned up?"

They nodded, picking up the pace in hopes of bathing soon.

XxXx

Twenty minutes later, Zuko stood waist deep in water warmed to perfect temperature by the sun, wearing nothing but his underwear. Bending down, he splashed water on his face and in his hair, amazed at how refreshing it felt. A few feet away, Katara and Nikko had also stripped down to their undergarments, the former helping her companion wash her hair and stay afloat.

They had no soap, but it was still a relief to rinse themselves free of the surprising amount of dirt that had accumulated on their bodies, to relax in the warm water and forget about their destination for a few moments.

"Your hair is so soft!" Katara gushed, running her fingers through Nikko's long black tresses.

"Thanks," she said, beaming. Tilting her head back in an attempt to look at the older girl's face, she added, "You have pretty hair, too."

Smiling appreciatively, she gently forced Nikko's head back down. "Could I try braiding it? Please?"

"What's a braid?"

Katara was already raising one of her hands, pulling it back and beckoning the water out of Nikko's hair with her fingers. Letting the gathered liquid splash back into the lake, she said, "It's a hairstyle a lot of girls have where I'm from."

"Okay."

Zuko smiled, watching the two girls as they talked about hair and family and various other topics. The younger of the pair kept twisting around in an attempt to see what was being done to her hair, and the older one would force her back to her former position with a gentle, though slightly impatient, scolding.

Nikko caught his eye, and her grin broadened. "Can you braid his hair?" She pointed, despite there being only one male in their presence.

Smirking teasingly at him, Katara said, "Well, I _could_, but I doubt he'd be happy about it."

"Damn right, I wouldn't be," he said, crossing his arms, a small smile tugging at his lips.

The waterbender's smirk vanished, replaced with a frown as she narrowed her eyes in a gaze that seemed to say, "Watch your language!"

The little girl just giggled.

Then minutes later, they had cleaned up and dried off (not without a little waterbending help, of course), pulling on their clothes and continuing toward Ursa's suspected place of residence. A long braid fell along Nikko's spine, bouncing as she walked.

"It's like a rope," the orphan (if she could even be called that anymore – Zuko and Katara were her family, now) observed, stroking where it started at the base of her neck.

The scarred prince frowned, fingering the section of his bangs Katara had braided. Somehow, he had found it impossible to stop her. A part of him simply wanted to make Nikko happy, and the other part had just been unable to argue in such close proximity.

Which was ridiculous, since he had been close to her dozens of times without issue. Clearly, there was something wrong with him.

Because of this odd change in his behaviour (involuntary change, really), Zuko was somewhat happy that Katara didn't notice how sore and stiff his joints were. He had kept his back facing away from here, hiding the many bumps and bruises he had gotten throwing himself off a moving ostrich-horse, not to mention the burns from leaning against the scorching hot metal walls of his cell.

Still, the pain was far from pleasant.

As he mulled over his lucky misfortune, Nikko decided it would be a good time for a ride on his back – without informing him, of course. So, one minute he was thinking about how much damage he had sustained in one day, the next he was hissing through clenched teeth as a hard, heavy body slammed into his back.

"Could I get a little warning next time?" he grunted, trying to keep from crying out in pain.

Why's your shoulder all bumpy?" she asked, poking a rather large bruise on his shoulder that had formed where he always hit the ground first during his crash-landings from the ostrich-horse. Biting his tongue and sucking in his breath, Zuko tried to block out the pain, counting down from ten.

'_Ten... Nine... Eight... Se-'_

"Are you okay?" the waterbending asked, jolting him out of his thoughts and now standing beside him.

"I'm fine," he snapped, perhaps a bit too quickly.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but said nothing. They resumed their walk, Nikko stopped poking at his shoulder, and for a moment the pain began to subside.

Then Katara was grabbing his wrist and pulling up his sleeve, revealing and ugly, purple bruise the size of fist on the back of his arm.

"_Zuko!"_ she yelled, clearly angrier than she was worried. "Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" St her silent command, Nikko detached herself from his back, allowing the older girl to pull up the back of his shirt and assess the extent of his injuries. "How long have these been here?"

"Since you found me..." he replied, honestly, nervously.

"Why didn't you _tell_ me? Do you know how easy it would've been to heal you when we were bathing?"

Before he could respond, she was pressing cool, water-coated hands to his back, his shirt already discarded on the ground. His words died in his throat as she carefully moved her hands along his bruised skin, easing the throbbing pain.

"You're lucky it's not in my nature to let people suffer," she continued grumbled too focused on her work to notice Nikko reaching up to poke a particularly large and oddly coloured bruise.

"Aggh!" he cried, jolting away. Glaring at the girl over his shoulder, he growled, "Nikko? _Hands. Off."_

"Sorry," she mumbled, ducking her head in shame. "I just wanted to see if it felt as weird as it looked."

"Well, you should've asked first," Katara said gently, moving her hands over the spot the child had been prodding. Her healing immediately soothed the wound.

The young girl nodded, plopping down on the ground and watching the waterbender work. In the meantime, Katara continued grumbling about Zuko's stupidity and how much easier things would've been while they were in the lake. The man in question decided it probably wasn't a good time to mention his sore joints.

"Okay that's the worst of it," she sighed, returning her water to the pouch at her side. "Now, promise me you won't do anything stupid like that again."

"I won't," he said, grabbing his shirt off the ground and pulling it over his head.

Seemingly satisfied, Katara turned and stalked off, leading the way as they continued to where Zuko's mother (might) live.

XxXx

They arrived at the village a few hours later, when the sun had begun sinking low in the sky and dark clouds were rolling in to blot out what little light remained. The streets still bustled with people going about their business, making Katara insist that Nikko hold her hand so she wouldn't get lost in the crowd.

"Do you see her?" Katara asked, keeping close to Zuko. There was no need to specify who 'she' was.

He scanned the mass of people silently, eyes darting around in an anxious manner. "No, not yet."

Wandering slowly through the village, the group continued their search. Eventually, the crowd began to thin and disperse as the clouds darkened and threatened to burst with rain, until only a few people remained, taking their time as they wherever.

Then, when she was starting to lose hope, Katara heard Zuko suck in his breath. Following his gaze, she spotted a tall, dark-haired woman walking down the street. She looked tired, rings of shadow forming around her heavy-lidded eyes, her face beginning to wrinkle despite her otherwise young appearance. A complete stranger, but something seemed familiar about her, something in her face that Katara had seen before...

Zuko stared, rooted to the spot, whispering a single word almost inaudibly. "Mom."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Okay, so nothing exciting happened - sorry. I just thought I should address the issue of Zuko's anxieties, the group's lack of bathing, and Zuko's inevitable injuries before the actual confrontation. I'll try to update ASAP to make up for it. Also, sorry for typos  
_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	11. Chapter 11

Staring at the woman as she walked down the street, completely oblivious to his presence, Zuko though this must have been how Sokka felt when he saw his father step out of the gondola back at the Boiling Rock. Like his heart might explode from worry and excitement and joy and nerves, his legs frozen in place and trembling, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and possibilities.

Finally, after so long, he had found his mother.

A gentle hand touched his shoulder. Glancing over, he saw Katara with a small, kind smile on her face. "Do you wanna go talk to her?"

"I..." He looked back to where his mother was, growing further away with each step. Once again, his thoughts turned to ones of Ursa disowning him, rejecting him, or simply not even knowing who he was. What would she say? What would she do? What would _he _say and do? "... I-I dunno."

The hand on his shoulder gave a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Why don't we just follow her, that way we know where to look when you're ready?"

He nodded, forcing his shaking legs to move forward, not even attempting to be stealthy like he usually would when tailing someone. It seemed doubtful she would recognize his older, mutilated face, especially from a distance. Besides, with his jelly-like, trembling legs, it wasn't likely he _could_ be stealthy – it was hard enough just _walking_.

The trio followed Ursa through the quickly darkening street, meeting less and less people as they progressed. Their footsteps seemed impossibly loud to Zuko's ears, his frenzied nerves making his senses sharp and time crawl by at a slow trickle. Finally, the woman stopped in front of a small house. She made no move to enter.

His breath caught in his throat, but he convinced his feet to keep moving at the same causal pace. If he stopped too, it would be obvious that he was following her.

He was barely a foot away when his mother whirled around, swiping at him with something cold and sharp and glinting in the dim light.

"Who are-" she started, then silenced, eyes widening in recognition. The weapon slipped out of her hand, clattering onto the stone street. "Zuko..."

Her son stared wide-eyed, skin even paler than usual while a small dribble of blood trickled down his cheek, frozen stiff with shock and fear. Opening his mouth as though to speak, he managed only to make strangled, incoherent noises. His knees shook and his mind reeled and he thought he might collapse at any moment. Wouldn't that be great? Fainting the first time he sees his mother in years – that would leave a _wonderful_ first impression.

But Ursa just smiled, placing a gentle hand on his cheek, wiping away the blood with her thumb as she murmured his name and fought off tears. He jolted at her touch, eyes roaming her face, his own holding an expression of disbelief.

"You're alive," he said in a barely audible voice, as though speaking too loud might make her disappear.

Thunder rumbled overhead, alerting them to the rest of the world. Glancing up at the dark, foreboding clouds, Ursa took her son's hand, leading him toward her house. "Come; let's go inside before we it starts to pour. Your friends can come too."

Looking back over his shoulder, Zuko beckoned the other girls with a nod of his head. They all hurried inside, cramming into the tiny kitchen. There were barely enough chairs for them at the table.

"I can't believe you're here, after all these years," his mother whispered, placing her hand on his cheek once again. Her fingers traced the edge of his scar, causing him to stiffen and look away, eyes downcast shamefully. "What has your father done to you?"

Katara stared at the tabletop, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. She felt invasive, like she was eavesdropping on a private moment. At the same time, curiosity kept her from leaving, insisting she stayed and learned more about the firebender and his family.

"Why did you leave?" Zuko asked, glaring at the table and clenching his fists in his lap, a flurry of emotions distorting his features and voice. "Why did you abandon me?"

Ursa's expression softened, her voice gentle and apologetic as she said, ""Zuko, sweetie, I know what I did was hard to deal with, and I know I haven't always been there for you" – her gaze was fixed on his scar – "but believe me when I say everything I did was for your own good."

"Then why did you _leave?_ I _needed_ you! I-"

"Your father-"

"Is a maniac!" he bellowed, slamming a fist on the table. Lightning flashed in synch with the boom of thunder and rain began pounding insistently on the roof. The storm was intensifying. Pointing vehemently at the irreparable wound covering his left eye, Zuko yelled, "Look at what he did to me!"

Slowly, things slid into place in Katara's mind, realization dawning at last. The scar, his permanent burn, was from his own father? It seemed impossibly cruel, completely unbelievable, it...

It made perfect sense.

No wonder the firebender was so messed up – his sister was a psychopath, his father apparently abusive, and his mother a runaway. That was hardly a foundation for a stable lifestyle. It was a wonder he had any sanity or sense of morals, let alone enough to join the Avatar and save the life of an orphan.

The former Fire Lady took a deep breath, taking a few moments to compose herself before she spoke. When she did, her voice was calm and quiet. "Zuko, as much as I wanted to, I couldn't stay in the palace, and I couldn't take you with me. What I did the night I left... I did it to protect you, but I had to leave if I ever hoped to see you again. The punishment for murdering Azulon would not be dealt lightly."

Another flash of lightning filled the sky. The low roar of thunder shook the house. Nikko trembled, scooting her seat closer to Katara.

"I'm scared," she whimpered. "I hate lightning. Who's Zuko?"

Gathering the young girl into her arms, Katara stroked her braided hair and shushed her. "I'll explain later."

Zuko, still completely focused on his mother, didn't look the slightest bit surprised. "So that's what Ozai meant when he said you'd done treacherous things... But _why?_ Why did you kill him?"

"Because it was the only way to keep your father from killing you," she said sadly, barely audible above the pounding rain. "By killing Azulon, Ozai wouldn't have to kill you as punishment for requesting Iroh's place on the throne."

Listening in silent horror, Katara instinctively covered Nikko's ears. This... _This_ was Zuko's family? _This_ was what he grew up with, the environment he was raised in? Even his mother, who seemed so gentle and protective, had gotten involved in the bloodshed of politics!

"So how did Ozai get the throne if Azulon didn't want him to?"

Ursa smiled bitterly. "I told him I had killed your uncle, the only other heir. Naturally, when the servants found him on his deathbed, they asked who he wanted to succeed him. Thinking Iroh was dead, he requested that the crown be given to his second son."

Zuko nodded solemnly, his anger having completely subsided. Everyone was silent, the downpour beating a constant rhythm on the roof, the flash of lightning and crash of thunder illuminating the room at random intervals. Katara counted the seconds between light and sound – three. The storm was starting to move away.

"When... When were you going to come back?" Zuko asked, voice cracking slightly. He kept his head down, shaggy bangs hiding his face in shadow.

"When the war ends," Ursa said, reaching out for his hand, which now rested on the table. "When you become Fire Lord and fix this mess."

"I... I don't think I'm cut out to be Fire Lord."

Of course you are," she assured him, stroking his knuckles with her thumb. "You have a heart of gold and a will of iron – that's what this nation needs if it's ever going to get better."

All at once, the prince broke down, shooting out of his seat and flinging himself at his mother, bumping his hip painfully against the table in his rush. He clung to her, face buried against her shoulder as his body shook with sobs, babbling hysterically and desperately into her shirtsleeve. Ursa's arms where around him in seconds, the action hindered only by surprise at the sudden embrace. She kissed the top of his head, murmuring comforting words into his hair.

The storm shook the world around them, slowly drifting away, leaving peacefulness in its wake.

* * *

Author's Notes:_ Lame ending is lame. xD Sorry. But, this chapter was hard to write (Drama! Angst! More Angst!), so over all I'm happy with how it came out. :3_

_Also, sorry for typos and the fact that might not get any other stories updated this weekend - there's a tropical storm coming, so the power might be out. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	12. Chapter 12

The lightning and thunder had passed, but the rain still pounded the earth relentlessly. It was late and wet and no condition to be walking, so the group decided to stay the night at Ursa's.

Pulling on a nightdress the older woman had provided, Katara sorted through her confused and chaotic thoughts. She and Nikko had left the mother and son to continue their reunion in private, the first feeling invasive and the second itching to understand what was happening. Even with almost an hour to think, her mind was still a jumbled mess.

It just didn't make sense to her. The family – the _entire_ royal family – was completely dysfunctional. Back-stabbing, power-hungry, honour-mongering dysfunction. It sounded as though killing someone for personal gain was an unspoken family tradition, a rite of passage.

And yet, she couldn't _hate_ Ursa, because she knew the woman had just been caught up in the twisted world of Fire Nation politics, where it was kill or be killed. Or, in her case, have her son killed. Watching the two argue and hug and cry at having finally found each other was heart-wrenching in an absolutely wonderful way.

Stepping out of the bathroom where she had been changing, Katara tiptoed across the hall to the guest room, opening the door cautiously, wincing when it creaked. Nikko was already asleep, and she didn't want to wake her. As expected, when she peeked in, she saw the young girl sleeping peacefully in her bed.

And two other people.

Kneeling on the floor by the futon Zuko was resting on, Ursa smiled lovingly at the boy's sleeping face, running her fingers gently through his hair. The scene was reminiscent of a much younger child being tucked into bed, and it made the waterbender ache with longing for her own mother.

Still smiling, Ursa looked up, noticing the waterbender and beckoning her over. "Come, sit."

Katara faltered, taking a step back into the hall, hands up defensively. "Oh, no, I wouldn't want to interrupt-"

"Nonsense. He's already asleep."

So the she sat down beside the older female, feeling very self-conscious and uncomfortable. This was the former Fire Lady, after all, not to mention Zuko's mother – the knowledge of these facts made the gentle woman seem very intimidating.

Shifting nervously, Katara stared at where her hands lay folded on her lap. "W-what do you want to talk to me about?"

Kind smile still in place, Ursa took a moment to study her, something that only served to make the girl more uneasy. Finally, she said, "My son told me a lot about you."

Immediately, she stiffened. There was nothing good Zuko could have said about her. Not after the way she had treated him, insulting and harassing and mistrusting him. Nothing nice could be said about someone like that.

Not that he didn't deserve her poor treatment after all the awful things he had done. It was just nerve-racking to sit by a mother who could and would kill for her son and who probably thought the waterbender beside her was a threat to his well-being.

Swallowing fearfully, Katara asked, "Oh? W-what did he say?"

"That you're the gentlest, most selfless and empathetic person he has ever met."

"I-" Wait... Were those _good_ things? Had Zuko spared her the wrath of his protective mother?

"He also tells me you're terrifying when you're mad and know how to hold a grudge," Ursa continued, her smile changing from kind to teasing. "And that you're the first person to try to understand him."

By that point, Katara didn't know if she should be flattered or worried and confused, so she settled on flustered, fidgeting and avoiding eye-contact. "I, um... Well... D-did he really tell you that?"

"Only because I dragged it out of him," she said, then laughed at the waterbender's startled glance and added, "Can you blame me for wondering how my son's friends treat him?"

"Oh, n-no. That makes sense."

Ursa's smile faded and her gaze became more solemn, reminding Katara of how her own mother would look at her when she was scared or hurt. "... He told me you could relate to his loss."

Instinctively, her fingers reached for her necklace – but, being in Fire Nation clothes, it wasn't there and she grasped nothing. Silence was the only response she could muster.

"I wish you had the same luck as my son," Ursa said, voice soft and sad and sincere.

Katara knew that – knew she could never get her mother back, that blood spilt could never be put back – yet the concept of her mother being gone forever made her choke on her breath, throat constricted by a strange thickness, eyes stinging with tears. The memories flooded back, the cruel face of the killer burned into her mind; her mother's dying words stuck on replay.

'_You and your brother and your father are my entire world, Katara. Never forget that.'_

She wasn't going to cry. That was a long time ago, something she was suppose to have moved on from. Dwelling on the past and her pain would do no good, not when she had everything and everyone to worry about. Not when there was still a war to fight and a world to save and people to protect.

Nonetheless, salty tears found their way out of her tightly shut eyes, trailing down her cheeks, warm and wet and reminding her of what she fought for.

Gentle fingers brushed away the tears as Ursa's soothing voice said, "Whatever the reason for her death, know that she loved you in the way only a mother could."

A sob shook her, and her voice broke when she said, "I know."

Then Katara was being pulled into a warm embrace, and she found herself sobbing on the shoulder of a woman she barely knew. The older woman rubbed her back, swaying slightly as though rocking and infant, her arms feeling protective and secure in the way only a mother's could.

"I'm sorry," she choked, suddenly embarrassed. "I just-"

Ursa merely shushed her. "It's fine. I'm the one who pushed the subject."

Beside them, Zuko stirred, eyes opening the slightest bit, looking clouded and heavy with sleep as he murmured, "Mom?"

"I'm right here, sweetie," she whispered, pulling away from Katara and running her fingers through his shaggy hair once again. "Go back to sleep."

Another murmur escaped him, unintelligible as he slipped back into the dream world.

Watching him quietly, the waterbender wiped at her still-flowing tears, a twinge of jealousy stabbing her heart at the mother and son's interaction. Why him? Why not her? Didn't she deserve the same, if not better?

Then she thought back on the discussion he had with Ursa, the horrible secrets of their past and the wreckage of their family; the moment in the crystal catacombs when he had been broken and open and kind with her, when she had first seen the human under all the anger and fire and drive to capture her best friend.

'_The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever.'_

His scar and his mission to capture Aang were connected, she suddenly realized. It made sense, since, looking back on their journey together, he had hardly seemed cruel enough to take away the freedom of a boy and the hope of the world – angry and stubborn, yes, but never anything to such an extreme.

So he was an innocent victim, someone forced into doing heartless, horrible things as punishment for whatever he had done to upset his father all those years ago. Not a villain or monster or a hateful, violent person – just a boy with the misfortune of being born into the most chaotic, dysfunctional family in the Fire Nation.

It was a wonder he had turned out so well.

"I think he was worried about meeting you again," Katara murmured, watching Ursa run gentle fingers along the edge of Zuko's scar, remembering his strange behaviour that day."I don't know why."

"I can't say I blame him. It's hard to tell what a person will be like after not seeing them for so long." A small, sad smile tugged at her lips. "I was pretty worried, myself."

Katara was tempted to ask her more, but didn't want to pry. It was bad enough that she had harassed the woman's son and intruded on their private moments – she didn't need to invade her thoughts, too.

An unexpected, unlady-like yawn escaped her, stretching her mouth wide-open. Blushing (that kind of thing was fine around her friends, but the _former Fire Lady?)_, she said, "I should probably go to sleep."

Ursa nodded, getting to her feet. "We could all use some rest, especially you three. You had a long trip."

With a final 'goodnight', she left the trio to their shared room, blowing out their candle on the way and plunging them into darkness.

Crawling onto the empty futon beside Zuko, Katara curled up, listening to her companions' calm, even breathes. She fell asleep in seconds.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Sorry for the delay! I had hoped to get this updated last week along with my other fics, but didn't get around to it. Still, I like to think that getting it typed up as soon as I got home today makes up for it. ._

_Hope it was worth the wait!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	13. Chapter 13

When Zuko woke up the next morning, he was greeted by the sight of a sleeping waterbender.

Sunlight poured in through the window, nothing them both in warm light. Her hair was loose from its topknot, a mess of curls and tangles spread over her pillow, shining in the sun. Thin red blankets were kicked away, tangled in her legs and revealing a nightdress of the same colour covering her torso.

It didn't seem right someone who represented the moon and blue and braids looked so good in the sun and red and topknots.

Stirring, she frowned and let out a small groan, not wanting to let go of sleep just yet. Blinking open tired eyes, she gazed at him for a few seconds, brow furrowed. He imagined her trying to recognize him, vision blurred by sleep.

And, in doing s, realized he had been caught staring at her.

"Zuko?" she asked, rubbing at her eyes. "How long have you been up?"

"A couple minutes," he said, sitting upright and turning away. He could feel her gaze boring into the back of his head.

'_Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did you have to stare at her like some obsessive creep?'_ he mentally berated himself, listening to the rustle of sheets as the waterbender sat up and stretched.

"So... What's the plan for today?"

"I-" wait... She wasn't going to harass him for staring? That hardly made sense, seeing as she didn't hesitate to call him on ignoring her the day before... Did she _prefer_ to have him stare, no matter how creepy it may be? Or had she been too tired to notice? Or was she setting him up for blackmail or hoping to surprise him with her fury or something even worse?

Shaking his head, he tried to clear his thoughts, but Katara took that as his answer. Movement caught the corner of his eye, and he looked over to see her rising from her futon, straightening out her nightdress (it had ridden up pretty far, he couldn't help noticing) as she said, "Well, I think we should keep moving. Aang and the others must be worried sick by now." A second later, she stiffened, eyes widening. "Oh, wait, you probably want to spend more time with Ursa..."

Waving his hand dismissively, he said, "No, that's okay. It's enough just knowing she's alive."

'_And doesn't want to kill me,' _hethought, not wanting to share his worries and anxieties with the waterbender just yet. She might be acting nice at the moment, but who knew what she would do if started dumping his burdens on her?

"Alright. We can start moving" – she glanced over to where Nikko slept, curled up on the room's only proper bed – "whenever she wakes up. In the meantime, let me fix that."

A few quick strides brought her directly in front of him. Kneeling, she drew water from a nearby potter plant, wrapping it around her hand like a glove. It began to emit a soft, silvery glow, accentuating her features with dark shadows.

She was going to heal him. Just like in Ba Sing Se.

Then her fingers were touching his cheek, just below his scar, and he remembered the cut.

A gentle, soothing sensation tingled his skin, cold in a strangely pleasant way. She looked at him with a focused, caring gaze, eyes not meeting his own and instead directed at her current task. Hesitantly (why was he so nervous?), he closed his eyes, trying to transfer the feeling of healing into his scar, imagining what it would have been like if they hadn't been interrupted...

"Do you like your eggs scrambled or – Oh, sorry. Are you two busy?"

Normally, it was refreshing to hear his mother's voice. For some reason, it angered him this time.

"No," Katara said, smiling. "I was just fixing up Zuko's cut."

"You're a healer?" she asked, eyebrows rising up in an impressed manner. "Iroh has told me a lot about such gifts. You're very lucky."

Blushing modestly, she said, "That seems to be the popular opinion."

'_Pink looks good on her, too,'_ Zuko observed, watching the rosy colour spread across her cheeks. Then he nearly slapped himself. Why did he keep having these ridiculous thoughts?

"What about you?" Ursa asked, breaking through his thoughts. Snapping his gaze to his mother's face, he saw that she wore a knowing expression not unlike Iroh's, a fact that made him feel acutely uncomfortable. Did she know what he was thinking about the waterbender?

"What do you want to eat?" she asked again.

"Oh, um, anything. I-it doesn't matter."

She nodded, turning her attention back to Katara. "Do you need any supplies for healing?"

A gentle hand was soon touching Zuko's cheek, tilting his head to face the blue-eyed healer. Studying the tiny line marring his flesh, now barely visible thanks to her work, she said, "No, it's pretty much healed already."

Another nod, then Ursa disappeared down the hall, toward the kitchen to start breakfast.

After a moment, Katara plucked at the thin, airy fabric of her nightdress, saying, "I should probably change into my regular clothes..."

"Yeah," the firebender agreed, suddenly realizing he was only wearing a lose pair of pants. "I should, too."

Rising to her feet, she had to tug down the nightdress a second time, completely oblivious to his pleased stare. "I'll get changed in the bathroom – you can use this room."

"No," he said, also getting to his feet. "You should take this room."

"Why?"

"Nikko might wake up," he said simply, gesturing to the sleeping girl."

"Oh, right. Good point."

Without another word, the pair separated to get ready for the day, changing into fresh clothes (Ursa must have washed them the previous night) and combing their hair free of tangles – well, Katara comber her hair, anyway. Zuko tended to Nikko, who had woken up in a decidedly stubborn and curious mood, firing off questions and refusing to do anything until she got answers. The former prince divided his attention between the five-year-old and the fourteen-year-old, sneaking glances at the latter as he tried to convince Nikko to get dressed. When she caught him staring, Katara just smiled the same way she might if he were Aang or Sokka or Toph or anyone but the banished prince of the Fire Nation.

He decided that this was a god thing. A _very_ good thing.

Finally, Nikko was dressed and the trio was ready for the day, just in time for Ursa to call them for breakfast.

"So," the youngest of the group said once they had started eating, eyeing the former Fire Lady, "if you're his mom, does that mean you're _my_ grammy?"

Pausing with her fork rose halfway to her mouth, Ursa raised an eyebrow, sending her son an inquiring look. "I didn't know you had a daughter."

"I – well... I-I just sort of... adopted her."

"Why didn't you tell me your name?" Nikko asked, poking her eggs. "I told you mine."

Faltering, Zuko searched for a reasonable explanation. "I-"

"He was worried," Katara supplied. "A lot of people don't like him, so he was worried one of us might get hurt if anyone knew who he really was."

Apparently satisfied, Nikko smiled and popped a forkful of eggs into her mouth, chewing happily. While the child was focused on her food, Zuko sent the waterbender a thankful glance. Her only response was to flash him that wonderfully friendly smile.

XxXx

Breakfast was finished quickly and the two girls of the trio returned to the guest room to pack, the older one insisting Zuko spend time with his mother.

Not that packing took a very long time – they hadn't exactly settled in for a long visit. In a matter of minutes, everything was in its place and they were ready to return home to their friends.

Well, all but one. Nikko would be staying with Ursa.

It was hard to believe they were leaving her already. To Katara, the time had passed by so quickly – several days that felt like mere hours. Undoubtedly, she would miss the girl, having grown attached to her as if she were her own daughter.

'_I wonder if this is how dad felt when he had to leave me and Sokka,'_ she thought, watching Nikko stare out the window. '..._ I hope she'll understand._'

"Where are we going now?" the young girl asked boredly, startling Katara out of her thoughts.

"O, um, me and Zu – I mean, Lu T- er..." Damn it, why couldn't she remember the right name at the right time? Taking a deep breath, she started over, "Me and Zuko are going back home. Our friends are probably worried, so we have to hurry."

"Where's that?"

"You don't need to worry about it. Ursa will take care of you."

Turning away from the window, Nikko looked at her with a furrowed brow and cutely confused expression. "I know."

Blinking, Katara took a moment to let the words sink in. She _knew_? How did she know? Was she really that perceptive? Had Zuko told her while she was asking all those questions? But... _why_? Why would he tell her? Did he not know that it would upset her, that she loved and trusted them despite the chaos and long journey and lying and –

Eyes widening in realization, she hurried to explain. "Oh, no! Zuko's mother – I'm taking about her. My name's really Katara."

"Do people not like you, too?"

"What? Oh, right, yes. A lot of people, actually."

"Okay," she said, then returned to staring out the window.

Katara waited a moment, expecting more. "Y-you're okay with that?"

Nodding, she said, "Mmhmm. Daddy said he wanted to see grammy again really soon, so I know you guys'll visit soon."

Smiling Katara felt a rush of relief flood her. It was one of those moments that she was truly happy about Nikko's perceptiveness, as it spared tears and heartache and difficult explanations.

Rising to her feet, she hefted her bag onto her back, gesturing for the girl to follow with a jerk of her head. "Come on."

The pair headed to the kitchen, where Zuko and Ursa were talking in quiet tones. They looked up when the others entered, abruptly silencing and causing old feelings of suspicion to stir anew within the waterbender.

Quickly telling herself not to be so paranoid, she smiled and accepted a hug from Ursa, who whispered, "To reopen old wounds is to prevent healing and deepen scars."

It seemed like an odd time to give out medical advice, but she made no comment.

Meanwhile, Zuko was kneeling to hug Nikko, murmuring, "Just remember not to play with fire or sharp things or strangers and you'll be fine."

She nodded, face buried in his neck, fingers clutching at his shirt. When they pulled apart, it was obvious she was holding back tears out of stubbornness. Katara couldn't help wondering if this was what Toph was like at five.

They switched, Zuko rising to embrace his mother and Katara stooping to hug Nikko.

"Come back quick," the little girl sniffled, clinging to Katara like a baby koala-squirrel.

"I'll try," Katara promised, fighting to keep her voice steady and eyes dry.

Reluctantly, both pairs separated, and a long moment of silence stretched out between them.

"Are you sure I can't come with you?" Ursa asked softly.

Nodding, Zuko said, "I don't wanna drag you or Nikko into danger."

His mother was quiet for a minute, studying him as though searching her mind for an argument, a reason to follow him. Sighing, she said, "Well, I guess I'll see you when this mess is over."

The pair nodded solemnly.

Saying their farewells, the two benders left, walking in silence. The prince had already bought himself a new sleeping bag (well, Ursa did, anyway. Apparently, rain was no for her not to go out at night), and it weighed heavily on his bag. Puddles dotted the street, splashing under their feet and reflecting the couple's sad faces in a distorted, dirty mirror image.

And just like that, they were on the road again, a group of two, like they planned from the beginning.

Three had been much better.

At some point the forest closed around them, and still neither said a word, nothing making a sound.

Then they heard distant yelling, the noise of animal feet pounding the earth and smashing through undergrowth. It grew louder and louder, until a group on ostrich-horses was thundering passed, wielding spears and hammers and nothing but bare hands, separated from Zuko and Katara by a thin layer of trees.

When they passed and the peaceful quiet returned, a feeling of dread settled over both their hearts.

Ursa's village was in trouble.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Uggh. This chapter started out as pointless fluff, then turned all depressed again. Sorry if it sucks - like I said before, writing emotional scenes is hard for me. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	14. Chapter 14

They didn't have to think about rushing back.

Aang and the others would wait. They were at the Temple, maybe a bit worried, but not in immediate danger like Ursa and Nikko.

Tearing through the thick underbrush was easier than when they first entered the forest, probably a result of their desperate panic. If those Earth Kingdom thugs got to the village, if they attacked it like they did to Nikko's...

Breaking out of the trees and onto the open fields outside Ursa's village, they hurried as fast as their legs and the muddy ground would let them. The houses were in sight, but too far to see any damage.

Finally, they reached their destination, an odd mix of relief and horror twisting Katara's gut when they arrived. The earthbenders had already started wreaking havoc, though only to a small area – they hadn't been able to get very far into the village yet.

Still, those were homes and lives, destroyed beyond repair.

Biting his lip, Zuko found himself torn between finding his mother and Nikko or staying back to fight off the raiders.

"Go," Katara ordered, taking a fighting stance. "I'll hold these guys off."

"But-"

"I can handle it!"

With a reluctant nod, he dashed forward, weaving out of the way of oncoming chunks of rock ("Hey! It's the fire prince!") and hurrying toward Ursa's house. Wasting no time, Katara uncorked her water skins and sent two coiling water-whips toward a pair of spear-wielding men who were charging after her friend ('Zuko' and 'friend' still seemed weird together), wrapping the tendrils around their ankles and tripping them.

Seconds later she was on the defensive, ducking behind the rubble of a house to avoid being stoned to death. Drawing more water from her pouch, she froze it into thin needles, cautiously peeking around the corner to take aim. Firing her icy projectiles, they pierced one man's arm and another woman's knee, causing the first to drop his heavy hammer and the second to break her firm root. Toppling them with a wave of water was easy.

The earth beneath Katara's feet began to rumble and she barely had time to dive away before the patch of ground – rubble and all – began lifting into the air, revealing a muscular man standing on the other side, legs spread wide in a bracing position and arms shaking with effort while a vein pulsated in his forehead. His eyes widened slightly, but he had no time to make up for his weak defence – the blue-eyed girl had already sent a powerful blast of water slamming into his gut, knocking him off his feet and causing the house to crash back down.

Those spars with Toph were definitely paying off.

She had no time to celebrate her achievement, however. The two spear users she had tripped, another earthbender man, and two women – one with a spear, the other a hammer – charged toward her, obviously thinking they could outnumber her.

Sliding into a familiar stance, she drew the rest of the water out of the ground and her pouch, creating a circle of liquid tentacles around herself. Like the arms of a pentapus, they lashed out, tripping and close-lining and pulling weapons out of the hands of her less agile opponents. When only two enemies remained standing in front of her, gathered the water and launched it in a vast, unavoidable wall. The wave slammed them to the ground without mercy.

The battle was over. All her foes were conquered or knocked out or simply giving up. Now all she needed to-

"Aah!"

She fell forward as the ground beneath her shifted, catching herself with her hands. Recovering, she tried to regain her footing – only to discover she was trapped, encased from the waist down in solid rock. Moving to summon her water, she barely flicked her wrists when more earth shot up, fluid like sand then solidifying when it swallowed her hands.

Behind Katara knelt the female earthbender she had shot in the knee, her hands poised in an earthbending position she recognized from when General Fong had buried her in the ground.

"I got the traitor!" the woman called with a victorious smirk. One of the still standing men approached, a thick rope unravelling in his hands. The stone binding around Katara's hands fell away, but he was grabbing her wrists before she could strike, tying them tightly together.

Then the rest of the earth spit her out and another man was tying up her legs. She managed to get a few kicks in, but they seemed only to anger the burly man. Once her limbs were tightly bound, the first man threw her over his shoulder, carrying her to a waiting ostrich-horse while the other man tended to the wounded. The few other conscious warriors where heading their own mounts, carrying their knocked-out allies with them.

In moments they were ready, leaving the village at a faster pace than Katara could ever hope to. As the houses faded into the distance, she couldn't help feeling relieved that Zuko and the others were safe.

XxXx

"Where's Katara?" Ursa asked when her son burst into the house, panting and panicked looking.

"She's holding off the earthbenders, so hurry up! I don't know how long she'll last against all of them."

Nodding, Ursa said, "Alright, I'll go get N-"

Before she could finish, a small body was slamming into Zuko, arms wrapping him into a bear hug. "You're back!" Nikko squealed.

"Yeah, and we gotta go."

"Give me two seconds to pack," his mother said, already disappearing down the hall.

Anxiously, the firebender glanced out the window – he couldn't see Katara from that part of the village, only hear the distant rumble of shifting earth. A feeling of helplessness gripped him. If he could get the slightest glimpse, the briefest moment to see how well she was faring...

"Where's mommy?" Nikko asked, still clinging to him.

His throat felt constricted with worry, making it difficult to choke out the words. "Outside, fighting the bad guys."

"Who are they?"

"I dunno. They're just randomly attacking villages."

"Why?"

"I don't know!" he snapped, patience already thin.

Fortunately, Ursa chose that moment to return, a small bag on her back and a serious expression on her face. "Alright, let's go."

Zuko didn't need to be told twice – he was out the door and hurrying down the street in seconds, the other two struggling to keep up. The front of the village, where anyone could look out their window and see the field and forest beyond, was more than a little damaged. Chunks were ripped from the ground, large rocks littering the streets, as well as a few sharp, precisely formed icicles. The houses were demolished, one looking like it had been dropped off a cliff-side, completely crushed and sitting a few feet away from where it normally would.

Signs of battle were everywhere, but Katara and the thugs had vanished.

Stomach twisting and mind racing, Zuko frantically began searching the area, refusing to believe that she had been taken.

"Katara?" he called, making his way through scattered debris. Maybe she had gotten overwhelmed and hid somewhere – but would the earthbenders really just leave? The village was mostly intact aside from the small section, and two obvious enemies would be left very much alive. Could she have possibly led them away to keep him and the others safe?

A gentle hand touched his shoulder, drawing his attention away from the rubble of a collapsed building that he had been picking through.

Turning, he saw his mother looking at him with a sad yet comforting smile. "If we hurry, we can catch them."

His heart dropped a little farther (they really _had_ taken her – was she okay? How had they overpowered her? Were they hurting her? Where were they going?), but he nodded, rising to his feet. Taking a deep breath, he tried to push away his worrisome thoughts, calming them by setting a solid goal to focus on.

He would find and free Katara, no matter what.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Fightscene! And I actually don't hate it! 8D _

_Also, more capturing and very soon family reunion. xD Hope you guys enjoy it and that there's not a ridiculous amout of typos. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	15. Chapter 15

Shifting, Katara winced as bark scraped her back and rope bit into her wrists. Captured was never a good position to be in.

'_Just a little longer,_' she thought, glancing up at the darkening sky, where a full moon was beginning to shine.

She would hate to do it, but it was necessary.

Normally, she would've followed Zuko's lead and simply left a trail. However, being a waterbender meant she was mostly powerless while her hands were bound, and her captors seemed to have learned to pay attention thanks to their last prisoner – rolling off the ostrich-horse and making imprints in the muddy ground was impossible under their watchful gaze. And even if she did manage to (which she didn't), the earthbenders could easily cover it up.

So drastic measures needed to be taken.

One of the burly men leaned against a tree on the other side of the clearing, arms crossed and gaze seeming to dissect her. It made her want to squirm, but the tight rope prevented her from doing so.

"What's a waterbender doing with the fire prince?" he finally asked, punctuating his distaste by spitting on the ground.

"He's on our side."

The man apparently found this hilarious, letting out a loud, open-mouthed laugh. Then he was complete seriousness again, saying, "You expect me to believe that."

"It's the truth!"

"No it's not – it's a half-assed lie."

"Well, what are you doing?"

"Huh?"

Katara paused, not sure if she wanted to know the answer to her nagging question. On the one hand, it would put her mind at relative ease about the reason behind this group's horrendous acts of violence. On the other hand... Well, did she _really_ want to know the lows people had fallen to?

Curiosity won over, however, so she found herself asking, "Why are you attacking these villages? They have no military or other threats to speak of!"

He snorted. "Fire Nation is Fire Nation. The more villages we destroy and people we kill, the less resource they have to draw from. It destroys the foundation of this horrible country and this war."

"But they're _people_!" she protested. "Innocent, defenceless people who probably hate this war as much you do; killing them makes you no better than the Fire Nation!"

"And no worse. You gotta fight fire with fire," he countered, smirking at his own joke. Straightening so he no longer leaned against the tree, he uncrossed his arms and took a few steps closer. "Anyway, the answer to my question is quite obvious by now; _you're_ with _them_."

Sensing her situation was about to turn very bad, very fast, Katara glanced at the sky anxiously. A thin line of sunlight was still peeking above the horizon, barely penetrating the thick wall of trees surrounding them, while the moon was full and clear in the dark sky. Its energy tugged at her senses and her bending, but still wasn't enough for her technique.

Stupid sun, making her weaker!

'_Come on, Yue!_' she silently pleaded, fighting to grasp the distant flow of blood that tickled the edge of her senses. '_Just five minutes to free myself, please._'

Moving closer at a tauntingly slow pace, the man reached for his hammer, gripping the heavy metal handle. The other warriors, who had been waiting for a verdict on the sidelines, also began approaching, reaching for weapons and cracking knuckles menacingly.

A burst of light filled the clearing as fire roared past, forcing the interrogator and several of his allies to stumble back. Another stream of flames shot through, singeing the sleeves of one of her attackers.

With a growl, the woman who had defeated Katara stomped the earth, causing a chunk of earth to leap up in front of her. She punched, sending it in the general direction the flames had come from.

A second later, more flames were exploding from the darkness, several feet away from the first spot. It scorched the legs of several thugs, eliciting cries of pain and causing them to collapse. A silhouette – which Katara could now see thanks to the smouldering flames on the ground – darted between the trees, gracefully evading flying stones and blending with the shadows like a wraith.

It didn't take a genius to figure out who her rescuer was.

Dashing forward, Zuko ducked under an onslaught of rocks, falling to one knee and sweeping his other leg under his opponent's feet. As the man toppled, the firebender deftly avoided a spear one of the women had thrown, targeting his chest. Rising to his feet, he shot blasts of fire in rapid succession, careful to aim for arms and legs.

Panting, he stopped to survey his enemies, who were already exhausted from their earlier fight with Katara. When no one else rose to challenge him, he turned his gaze to the waterbender, smirking as he approached.

"What took you so long?" she teased, smiling gratefully.

"Well, you didn't exactly make an easy trail," he said, moving behind her. She felt him gently tug at the rope, testing its strength and tightness, then slipped something cold and metal between it and her skin, sawing at it patiently. "Lucky for you, I have a history of tracking evasive targets."

"Never thought I'd consider that lucky."

Cutting a bit more aggressively, he growled, "Ugh, what kind of rope did they use?"

"You sound pretty upset for someone who did the exact same thing less than a year ago."

"I'm the only one who ties you to a tree and gets away with it," he said, finally cutting through the thick rope. Just as she was about to step away from the rough bark digging into her back, a pair of warm arms encircled her from behind. Craning her neck, she managed to glimpse Zuko in her peripheral, seeing the small, playful smirk on his lips.

"You know, I let you off easy that time with the pirates, but now I'm tempted to give you a good hard water-whipping."

A crooked smile graced his features, the right side of his mouth quirking up in a way that – oddly enough – suggested he would like that. Why anyone would enjoy being whipped was beyond her.

His arms squeezed tighter for brief moment before finally (reluctantly?) releasing her. Rubbing her chafed wrists gratefully, Katara turned to see Zuko stepping around to the other side of the tree.

"C'mon," he said, walking away and beckoning her to follow, "the others have probably set up camp by now."

Obediently, she followed, and the pair walked through the woods in comfortable silence.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Yeah, so, Katara wasn't held captive very long. But I guess when Zuko wants to find someone, he can do it rather quickly. Especially if it's someone he cares about. ;D_

_Anywho, hope you guys enjoyed it. I was actually waiting to write this scene for quite a while. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	16. Chapter 16

When they got back to camp that night, they were greeted by a very happy and relieved Ursa and Nikko. After taking a few minutes to explain how she had been captured (and rescued), Katara decided to call it a night. With Nikko still stubbornly demanding her own sleeping bag (they hadn't thought to get her one, having planned to leave her and Ursa behind) and Ursa's only big enough for a single person, Katara and Zuko were forced to share.

Not that they minded – they had already shred every other night, so why should it make a difference now?

The first warm rays of sunlight began to rise above the horizon, stirring Katara from her peaceful slumber. It felt like an impossibly long time since she had awakened to the fresh scent of nature, but in her mind she knew it had only been a day.

With a contented sigh, she pushed herself up, intending on rinsing off in the stream she knew flowed just beyond the clearing – she was awake unusually early, so why not take advantage of the situation.

Something gripped her waist, preventing her from rising.

Glancing down, she saw pale hands wrapped around her, connected to strong arms dressed in red, which were attached to a warm body and scarred face. A small smile tugged at her lips as she wiggled out of his grasp, careful not to wake him. It was oddly relieving to trust him, to not have hate and anger and suspicion twisting up her insides, to be able to look at him and see a peacefully resting teenage boy instead of a dormant monster waiting to attack.

"Thank-you," she whispered, brushing a lock of hair out of his face as gently as possible. Interestingly, he seemed to smile, fingers twitching as though reaching for something.

"He was very worried about you."

Katara jumped, startled from her thoughts. Turning, she saw Ursa sitting up in her sleeping bag, Nikko curled up beside her, eyes closed in calm slumber.

"What are you doing up?" she asked, scooting closer as she subconsciously tried to put distance between herself and the ex-prince.

"Nikko had a nightmare. Neither of you woke up, so I took care of it," Ursa said, smiling down at the child.

A rush of shame washed over Katara. Nikko was her and Zuko's responsibility – they had found her and cared for her and adopted her. It wasn't right to shove her off on someone else. "Sorry, I shouldn't have forced her onto you. Next time, just wake me and I'll take care of things."

Laughing a little, the former Fire Lady shook her head, waving a hand dismissively. "Nonsense; you've both had a long, tiresome journey. It's the least I could do. Besides, I agreed to take care of her while you two handle the war. My offer still stands."

Before the waterbender could respond, both Nikko and Zuko stirred. The two women held their breath, waiting to see if either would wake up. When they resumed their quiet sleeping, Katara let out a hushed laugh, whispering, "I think they heard us talking about them."

Smiling, Ursa allowed herself a short, muffled laugh. "It seems like it."

The pair fell into a comfortable silence, watching their sleeping companions – or, at least, _Katara_ was watching them. The other's attention was more focused on the waterbender at her side.

After a minute of trying to block out the intense, Katara asked, "Is something wrong?"

"No. I'm just thinking."

Shifting uncomfortably (something about the woman beside her was intimidating – maybe the air of a natural queen, someone who was accustomed to being 'above' others), she asked, "Um... So, what did you mean about Zuko being worried?"

I meant exactly what I said," she replied, gaze still fixed on her. "After those earthbenders captured you, he thought of nothing but your safety and bringing you back."

A faint smile found her lips. "He's always been pretty good at focusing on a goal. Though, that was usually a _bad_ thing for me."

"His hunt for the Avatar, I'm guessing."

She nodded.

"So, what exactly did he do in his attempts to capture the young Avatar? I tried asking him, but he doesn't like talking about it."

"Anything, really," she said with a shrug, staring down at her lap and plucking at the fabric of her skirt. "I think he usually went by his own sightings and what other people saw of us, but once he hired a bunch of pirates and tried bribing me with my necklace, and another time he used a bounty hunter to track my scent."

Ursa raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Pirates?"

"That was one of his more creative ideas," Katara said, grinning.

The prince rolled over, muttering unintelligibly.

"Well, I shouldn't waste anymore of your time," the older woman said, smiling and getting to her feet. Stretching, she added, "Feel free to do whatever you had planned."

Nodding, the waterbender rose to stand, taking a few steps toward the river. Pausing, she glanced back over her shoulder, a sudden nagging question on her mind. "... How worried was he?"

"Very," Ursa said, smiling knowingly in a way that reminded her of Gran-Gran.

Finding the response oddly comforting, she slipped past the trees and down the slope of the river bank, where she stripped off her clothes and wedged them carefully between a few rocks. Testing the water with her toes (icy and fresh, just as expected from an early morning stream), stalling before she plunged in. Not that the hesitation did any good – she knew she would have to embrace the unpleasant chill eventually, and that wasn't as awful as it initially seemed.

'_Force of habit, I guess,' _she mused, stirring up a miniature whirlpool boredly. Raising her hand experimentally, she allowed herself a grin when a tiny, rapidly spinning waterspout rose in response. One of the best things about bath time was being able to waterbend uninterrupted.

"Oh shi-!"

Instinctively, she turned toward the sound, hands flying up to cover herself – which, really, was stupid. The voice was distinctly male, and keeping her back turned to him would've shown a lot less.

Thankfully, he (or Zuko, as she quickly realized), he was already hurrying toward camp, once again leaving her to privacy.

Her bath lasted only a moment longer, the calm atmosphere disrupted.

Back at camp, Zuko was blushing furiously, fervently denying his mother's accusations that he had been 'trying to sneak a peek' at Katara.

"I'm not a pervert!" he was yelling when the girl in question returned. "You should've told me she was taking a bath!"

"I didn't know," Ursa said honestly, unable to suppress a smile.

Sitting by the campfire and watching the argument, Nikko piped up, "My mommy always said it was okay for a husband to see his wife naked."

Glancing at the young girl, then raising an eyebrow at her son, she said, "Wife?"

"I, um, it's not really-"

"I'll explain later," Katara cut in. "We should get moving."

"Right," Zuko quickly agreed. "I'll start packing."

A few minutes later, their bags were ready and they were headed back toward the temple, Zuko and Nikko in front while Katara and Ursa followed a few feet behind. After a few minutes of waling in companionably silence, Ursa brought up the topic of marriage again.

"We're not _really_ married," Katara explained, keeping an eye on the pair ahead of them, making sure the girl didn't overhear. "I just told Nikko that so she would feel safe."

Cocking her head curiously, Ursa asked, "And how would marriage do that?"

"Well, I figured it was better than telling her the truth. She asked about it when me and Zuko were arguing, and I didn't want to tell her that I hate him - not that I hate him. Anymore, I mean."

"Don't worry," the older woman said, smiling. "I think I understand."

At the moment, Zuko slowed to walk beside Katara. "Hey, can I talk to you for a moment?"

She nodded, hardly noticing Ursa as she hurried to catch up to Nikko.

"Sorry for walking in on you,' he blurted in a rush. "You know, when you were bathing."

"It's okay."

"And thanks for saving me from explaining things to my mom. Now I have time to think."

"Nothing to think about – I already explained."

Oh, uh, thanks. You didn't have to do that – you didn't have to do any of it."

"It's fine," she said, shrugging. "She asked me about it, so I explained."

He nodded, staring at the ground as he walked. "So, um... What did you tell her?"

"The truth?" Katara said, raising an eyebrow. "You know, how we lied to Nikko so she wouldn't be upset about us hating each other?"

"Right," he said, nodding again. A moment later, he added, "And I don't hate you."

"I know, but at the time-"

"I never hated you," he cut in, gaze lifting to pierce hers.

Silenced by shock, Katara found herself staring at the ground.

"... Do... Do you still hate me?"

She shook her head, smiling. "It's hard to hate you after hearing your mom talk about you."

They fell into silence, walking side-by-side and smiling, both pondering these new revelations. For Zuko, the discovering that Katara no longer hated him was an enormous relief, to the point that he thought he might float off the ground. Of all the people in the Avatar's rag-tag group, her acceptance meant the most.

Meanwhile, Katara was wondering what he meant by '_I never hated you_'. Surely, he was talking about since he joined the group – it didn't make sense that he had harboured anything less than hatred upon their first meeting. Or maybe, growing up in the family he had, 'hate was a much stronger word than what she knew it as, reserved for people he wanted to see dead.

After what she had said and done toward him, it wouldn't be hard to believe she had held such harsh feelings toward him.

"So, what're we gonna do?"

She glanced over at him. "What do you mean? We're going back to the Air Temple."

"I know. I was talking about the earthbenders."

"You think we should do something about them?"

"Well, yeah. We can't just let them go around destroying villages."

Opening her mouth to speak, she hesitated, realizing she didn't have an answer. What _would_ they do? Or, more importantly, what _could_ they do? It seemed unlikely that the earthbenders would listen to reason, but it wasn't right to let them continue wreaking havoc. And if they couldn't be stopped by words, maybe she and Zuko would have to use more violent means...

Brushing the thought away ('_We are _not_ murderers!),_ she shrugged and said, "I-I dunno. What did you have in mind?"

"I thought maybe Aang-"

She was shaking her head before he could finish. "No, we're not dragging him into this. It's dangerous and it would take too long to go get him and then track down the earthbenders again."

The firebender sighed shoulders slumping. "I don't know, then. Maybe we should take a day to think about it."

"Good idea," she agreed, already wracking her brain for a reasonable solution.

The conversation was dropped, and they continued walking in silence.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Hopefully this chapter is better than the last one. I had a bit of trouble with the dialogue, but I'm happy with it over all. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	17. Chapter 17

Night finally came, and the group stopped to make camp. The girls were busy preparing supper, leaving Zuko to sit at the edge of the clearing with his back against a tree, eyes turned toward the sky, mind deep in thought. It was difficult coming up with a plausible solution to the earthbender problem.

A snapping twig alerted him to someone approaching, Shifting his gaze, he saw Katara grin as she sat down across from him.

"I've got an idea."

"Good, because I have _no_ idea what to do."

"Report them to Fire Nation law officials."

Blinking, Zuko took a moment to let her words sink in. "You mean... get them thrown in prison?"

She nodded, beaming. At his uncertain expression, she said, "Trust me, it'll work. Once we end the war, you'll be able to free anyone who was unjustly imprisoned. In the meantime, it's safer for them and everyone else if they're locked up tight."

It sounded reasonable enough. He, Katara, Nikko, and Ursa would just have to report the thugs to a nearby village, get them thrown in jail, and make sure things got sorted out properly when he became Fire Lord. Everyone would be happy and safe in the end, and they would have less worries in the meantime. Still, it seemed risky – what if one of them was recognized? Passing through a village and bartering with merchants was one thing, but talking to police officials promised trouble. After all, people trained to protect the villages from dangerous criminals were bound to know the face of a runaway traitor prince, his equally traitorous mother, and the Avatar's waterbending teacher.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" he asked after a moment to think things over. "I mean, what if _we_ get imprisoned instead? Besides, there's no way we can predict where the earthbenders will strike next."

"Already figured it out," she said confidently. "Ursa and Nikko can go to the village we choose and warn the officials while you and I find the earthbenders and lure them in the right direction."

He chewed his lip, still hesitant as a million mess-up scenarios ran through his mind, He counted how many days they had left to get back to the temple, and then how long it would take to actually get there. It didn't leave much room for mistakes, something that didn't bode well with their current track record.

"Maybe we should write the others," he suggested. "Just in case."

"Oh, come on. When have things ever gone bad for us?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, fine," she sighed. "I guess you have a point."

After a quick search for paper and a pen (Ursa had thought to bring both), Katara smoothed the paper out on a flat rock, putting pen to paper and pausing.

"... We have no ink. Who brings a pen but no ink?"

"Let me see it," Zuko said, holding out his hand. Taking the pen, he used a tiny flame to heat the tip, saying, "This is how people of the Fire Nation wrote before the discovery of ink. I just hope this paper isn't too flammable."

Eyeing the red-hot tip, Katara cautiously took the pen, pressing it the page and forming the first word of their message. 'Dear' was burnt into the paper, turning from red to black as a curl of smoke rose into the air. Smiling, she made to write the next word, but Zuko stopped her.

"Wait – shouldn't we write it in code? In case it gets intercepted?"

She nodded, pausing to think. "We can't just write 'Dear friends', can we?"

"I don't see why not."

"Alright," she said, continuing her writing. "'Dear friends, Ponytail and I-'"

"_Ponytail?_"

"Yeah, that's what we used to call you while you were chasing us. Well, that and Angry Freak."

Scowling, he said, "Fine, but you have to sign yourself as Hair Loopies."

"Fine by me," she agreed, smirking. A moment later, they had a letter that read:

'_Dear friends,_

_Ponytail and I what we were looking for, as well as a little something extra. We ran into a little trouble and might be late getting home, but don't panic. If we're not back on time, go to the party without us. Make sure Arrow does his homework and Boomerang does his chores. Try to keep things in order, Badger-mole and Fans._

_Missing you greatly, _

_Hair Loopies.'_

Grinning, Zuko shook his head and chuckled. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever read."

"Good," Katara said, rolling up the sheet. "That means no one else will know what we're talking about."

After finding something to tie up and seal the letter with, they faced the important issue of sending it.

"We'll get a messenger hawk," Zuko said, tucking the rolled up page into his belt.

"How exactly will we do that?"

"Buy one when we go to town. They're not that expensive and we brought more money than we could hope to spend. We send it off when we get to town, then go about the mission as planned."

"So, shouldn't we give the letter to Ursa, then? Since we'll be busy acting as bait?"

"Right," he said, cheeks reddening as he hurriedly pulled out the letter again and handing it to Katara. "Just tell her where to send it. She already knows how it all works."

"Are you two going to eat, or did I cook this whole supper for nothing?"

Startled, the pair turned to where Ursa was calling them from. They had been so busy discussing their plans, they hadn't even noticed the food was ready.

"Sorry," Zuko said as they joined his mother and Nikko by the fire. "We were just talking about where to go next."

"Care to tell me what the plan is?" Ursa prodded, dishing out a serving a supper for him and Katara.

"Well, we decided we should probably do something to stop the earthbenders who attacked your village. If you and Nikko can alert the officials of a nearby town, Katara and I will lure the earthbenders towards it."

"So we're splitting up?" his mother asked, handing him a steaming bowl, He nodded, and she chewed a spoonful of her food thoughtfully. "Well, I suppose that makes sense... When would be doing this?"

"Tomorrow morning."

Looking between the pair, Nikko frowned. "What are you guys talking about? Where's daddy going?"

"We just need to take care of a few bad guys," Katara said comfortingly. "It'll only take a few hours."

"So... You're not upset?" Zuko asked, turning his attention back to Ursa while Katara explained things to Nikko, hoping she would make some sort of objection to his plans. It wasn't that he didn't want to do it – it had been _his_ idea in the first place – he would just find it reassuring to have his mother worrying over his safety and wanting to have him all to herself.

"Of course not," Ursa said, smiling. "You can take care of yourself, I know that now."

He nodded, staring down at his cooling, untouched food. Smile fading, the former Fire Lady watched him for a moment, silent and thoughtful.

"Do you mind showing me something first?" she eventually asked. "I've heard a lot about how much your firebending has improved."

"Ooh! Ooh!" Nikko cried, clapping excitedly. "Make the dragon again!"

"Why don't you show us something, too?" Ursa suggested, turning to Katara. "I've heard waterbending is an amazing thing to watch."

The two benders glanced at each other, gauging the other's reaction. Both shrugged, and Zuko said, "Sure."

As the moved away to give themselves room for their bending, he whispered, "Should we just do our usual sparring?"

"No, too violent – it might scare Nikko. Why don't we just do something flashy?"

He grinned. "Alright. We'll make our own Dragon Dance."

Separating, they put several feet between themselves. Taking a few deep breathes, Zuko conjured a large fireball and began moulding it into the shape of a dragon. Catching on to his idea, Katara drew a thick stream of water from her pouch and started to twist and shape it like a piece of clay. Nikko was already cheering.

"Ready?" Zuko called, arms poised and waiting.

"Always," she shouted back, sliding into a defensive stance.

The two dragons soared through the air, obeying their creators' demands. Testing their manoeuvrability first, the two benders made the creatures twirl and weave and fly in intricate circles. Then, the one of fire lunged for its opposite, narrowly missing as the other gracefully twisted away. An instant later, it turned and charged toward its attacker, steam filling the air as water met fire, skimming the belly off of Zuko's puppet.

Guiding her dragon with one hand, Katara used the other to gather the steam back into the damaged spot. Seizing the distracted moment, the flaming creature barrelled toward its lazily drifting opponent. It slammed into its middle, tearing it in half and destroying a large portion of its own face.

Hurriedly repairing her water dragon, Katara couldn't help smirking. "Your dragon's not looking so hot, Zuko! Maybe you should give up!"

"No way," the firebender shouted back, bending the fireball in question back toward him. "I've still got some fight left!"

Not giving him the chance to take initiative, Katara made her dragon soared closer, pulling apart its sides to create fluid, whipping tentacles. Zuko's dragon darted forward, weaving between the lashing streams of water, a hiss of smoke rising where one managed to hit. As his passed by, hers turned and tried to wrap around it like a gecko-boa constrictor, only to tie itself in a knot while its opponent slipped through unharmed.

Katara managed to twist it back into a semblance of its normal shape, having no time to repair it properly because of the head-on charge Zuko's dragon was making. Sending her own dragon hurtling forward, she tightened to grip on the water, hoping to hold it together when they collided.

Fire and Water crashed together, filling the air with a hot, hazy mist and making everyone sweat. Both benders let their arms fall to their sides, no longer feeling the beasts they had controlled.

"Tie?" Zuko asked, breathing heavily.

"Sounds fair."

The pair headed back toward the campfire where Nikko and Ursa were clapping enthusiastically.

"That was amazing," the latter gushed, rising to pull both teens into a hug. "Your bending has gotten worlds better, and Iroh was right – waterbending is a very beautiful style."

Katara blushed modestly as she broke free from the hug. Glancing over at the blue-eyed bender, Zuko's cheeks reddened for different reasons.

"It's late," he said, turning and hurrying over to his pack. "We should get to sleep."

The others silently obliged, unrolling their sleeping bags and spreading out under the starry sky. As Katara slipped into their shared sleeping bag, Zuko rolled over so his back faced her, murmuring goodnight and seeming to fall asleep an instant later.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Sorry if there's horrendous typos or grammar. My brain and ability to type properly seems to have died. xD Also sorry for the lame ending - couldn't think of anything better to put. _

_I'm reasonably happy with the bending scene, though. It was fun to write. :3_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	18. Chapter 18

Without Nikko or Ursa to slow them down, Zuko and Katara were able to retrace their steps in record time. The waterbender was more than adjusted to long days of walking at that point, and could easily keep up with her companion.

Passing through their old campsite by mid-afternoon, Zuko couldn't help being bombarded by memories of the incident at the river. He hadn't seen much, but the image – Katara standing waist deep in water with her arms raised over her head, teasing her element into obeying her commands, her dark, curling hair falling across her bare, wet back – was burned into his mind, popping up at the most inopportune times.

And then Nikko had to go and talk about them being _married_, making him panic and wonder how to explain things. Which was stupid, since there wasn't really anything to explain –Katara told Nikko they were married rather than admit they hated each other. It was simple, innocent, and logical.

And yet, somehow not the reality he wanted to believe.

"Zuko..." Katara said, startling him from his thoughts. She walked beside him, staring at the ground with her brow creased in thought. "Yesterday, when we talking, you said you never hated me... What did you mean?"

"I meant exactly what I said," he replied, forcing down memories of the river and wishes of marriage so he could properly answer her question. "The whole time I was chasing Aang, I only thought of you as an enemy or an obstacle. Not something to hate, just something to get passed."

"And after that?" she pried, glancing up at him.

"After that... Well, in Ba Sing Se, I wasn't really sure what to think. I didn't really hate you or like you, I just-"

"Trusted me," she finished for him. "Felt understood."

"Exactly," he nodded, unable to stop the onslaught of memories of their short time in the catacombs. He had been such an unbelievable idiot back then. "And... When I returned to the Fire Nation, I didn't think of you much. When I did, I usually just wondered if you used that special water to heal Aang. The idea made me kind... jealous, I guess."

"Jealous?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "You were living in a palace with people waiting on you hand and foot, and you were jealous of _Aang?_"

"Only because he got healed! It's the one thing I've never been able to have."

They were silent again, stopping in the old campsite for a quick rest. Standing in the burnt-out fire pit, Zuko kicked at the ashes and half-burnt branches, acutely aware of Katara staring at him. He didn't dare look up to try and discern the nature of her expression.

"It wouldn't have worked."

Remembering the star-shaped scars on Aang's back and foot, he murmured, "I know."

"... Do you still, you know... Wish it was gone?" she asked hesitantly, obviously nervous that she was broaching a sensitive and off-limits topic.

He reached up to touch the raw, uneven flesh around his left eye, thinking. That mark, the one he had received for speaking out and tarnishing his honour, was something that had made him miserable for three long years. It was like a badge a soldier would wear, marking him as an exile instead of a noble fighter.

Except, now, when he actually thought about what he had done to earn it, he felt _proud. _He had done what was right and followed his heart, something that his mother and his uncle had always encouraged. It was a reminder of his struggle and growth, of how and why he had met Katara and the rest of his friends.

Thinking his silence meant he was offended, Katara hurried to apologize. "Sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"No," he cut in. "It's okay. I think I'm happy to have it now."

She smiled, looking genuinely relieved. "I'm glad."

They started walking again, this time at a more leisurely pace. Even so, it didn't take long for them to reach the campsite of their previous captors – the earthbenders hadn't moved since Katara's rescue, probably wary of attacking another village when their two strongest enemies (and, coincidently, most valuable captures) were still nearby. All of them were awake, lounging around a campfire, their ostrich-horses tethered at the edge of the clearing nearest Zuko and Katara.

The firebender glanced at his companion, pointed at the animals. He raised an eyebrow and smirked, seeming to give her a silent dare. Matching his smirk, she nodded.

Moving as close as she could while making as little noise as possible, Katara eyed the ostrich-horse, wondering if it was trained to attach – the beak looked awful sharp. Shaking her head, she steeled her courage, glancing over at the group and calculating how quickly she would need to move to prevent getting pulverized.

As fast as she could, probably.

Looking toward Zuko to see if he was ready (he gave her a thumbs-up), she took a deep breath, trying to free herself of second thoughts. Doubt would do her no good at this point.

Darting out from the shelter of the bushes, she covered the short distance between herself and the ostrich-horse in seconds, flinging herself onto its back, clinging to its neck and kicking its sides.

"Go, go!"

The creature reared and thrashed its head around, crying out fearfully, but still didn't move. The earthbenders were reaching for their weapons, already on their feet and charging closer.

"C'mon, _go_! Yip-yip!"

Why wouldn't it move? Even when trained, an ostrich-horse would run at the slightest scare. Something must have been holding it back...

The tether.

As if on cue, a burst of flames shot from the trees, cutting the rope, spooking the ostrich-horse, and narrowly missing a spear-wielding thug. As the animal charged forward in a wild panic, Zuko darted out from his hiding place and jumped onto its back. His arms automatically wrapped around Katara, who tightened her grip on the creature's neck, desperately trying not to fall. Earthbenders charged after them, throwing chunks and spikes of rock at them while the others got the remaining mounts ready.

"Grab the reins!" Zuko shouted when their ostrich-horse broke through the underbrush, crashing past trees and pushes that threatened to throw off its riders.

She grabbed the reins, tugging at them in an attempt to control the animal and shouting, "This isn't the same as riding Appa!"

Then the prince was reaching around her, gripping her wrists and helping her steer just as their enemies burst through the trees behind them. Glancing over his shoulder, he muttered a curse. "I can't fight and steer at the time!"

"We'll just have to stay out of their range."

A column of earth jutted out of the ground, narrowly missing them.

"I think out of sight might be better," he said, pulling the reins and guiding the ostrich-horse into a thicker patch of trees (they had stumbled upon a trail by that point).

The startled and angry cries of their pursuers faded into the distance as they travelled farther away. After a few moments of travelling in relative silence, Zuko glanced back over his shoulder. "Do you think we should head back? We don't want to lose them."

Nodding, she said, "Yeah, probably."

Veering to the left, they crashed through the trees and back onto the trail, keeping their senses alert for any signs of the earthbenders. Slowing to an almost-stop, the pair looked around the still, empty path.

"I think we lo-"

The earth bucked underneath them, cutting Katara off and sending the ostrich-horse into a panic. Zuko's grip on her tightened as the animal broke into a run, narrowly avoiding pillars of earth shooting up around them. Their enemies exploded out from the shadows of the trees in a wave of spears and hammers and battle cries.

"It's just a little farther!" the firebender shouted over the noise, jerking the ostrich-horse to the right to avoid a particularly well-aimed disc of stone.

Nodding, she gave him full control of the reins so she could fight back with waterbending. Manoeuvring proved difficult, however – she had only a small space to move her arms, not wanting to accidentally hit Zuko, and couldn't do anything to fancy without losing her balance.

Thankfully, the forest fell away to be replaced with a large meadow, their destination on the horizon. As it loomed closer every second, Katara hurriedly tucked her water back into its pouch. An instant later, they were thundering through the streets, and flames shot out around them, aimed at the earthbenders and confirming Zuko and Katara's success.

Watching the town pass by in a blur, Katara asked, "Shouldn't we stop?"

"We're going too fast – we'll have to jump."

"How do-"

Her question dissolved into a scream as Zuko's wrapped his arms tighter around her waist and propelled himself off the speeding animal. She didn't know how he did it, just that they were suddenly flying backward, the ground rushing to meet them. The former prince hit the dirt hard, skidding a few feet, groaning and when he finally came to a stop. His arms were still locked protectively around her.

"You okay?" he asked in a strained voice as they both struggled to sit up and disentangle themselves.

"_Me?_ You're the one who hit the ground!"

"It's nothing," he said, trying to stand. Hissing in pain, he collapsed onto his knees.

"Oh, yeah. Everything's _perfect_," Katara said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Offering him a hand, she said, "C'mon, tough guy. The sooner we get back to camp, the sooner I can patch you up."

Gratefully accepting her support, he leaned against her as they wandered through town in search of Ursa and Nikko. A small smile tugged at his lips.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Is it just me, or have I been writing a lot of action scenes lately? xD I guess I've developed a liking for fast-paced stuff._

_Anywho, this was both fun and hard to write. I hope you guys enjoy it, and I really appreicate all the feedback you've been giving me. ^.^ Sorry for not thanking you very often. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	19. Chapter 19

"That was quite the show," Ursa commented twenty minutes later, sitting by the fire. They had set up camp not far from the town.

Zuko nodded, eyes closed and lips smiling as Katara's hands glided across his back, soothing the scrapes and bruises he had sustained during their little adventure, only half listening to his mother's words.

"Are you giving him a massage?" Nikko asked, sitting beside the waterbender and watching in awe as the prince's skin stitched itself back together. "My daddy gave my mommy massages all the time. They always made me go play at the neighbour's house, so I never saw it before."

Ursa and Katara exchanged glances, both smiling and trying not to laugh.

"Um, no," Katara said, continuing to gently repair the damaged flesh on Zuko's back. "This isn't a 'massage'. I'm just healing him."

"Like when you fixed my hand?"

"Yes, Exactly."

A sigh of pleasure escaped the firebender as her cool water eased his aching muscles and erased the pain of an ugly purple bruise. Smile widening, he murmured, "Have I ever mentioned how awesome it is that you're healer?"

"You could stand to mention it more," she quipped, unable to ignore the way Ursa was staring at them. The familiar smile and knowing stare gave Katara the feeling she had just been given some sort of stamp of approval. It made her remember when she had walked in on the mother and son's conversation back at the house, the way they had stopped talking so abruptly.

'_To reopen old wounds is to prevent healing and deepen scars.'_

Something told her that was more than just medical advice.

Pushing the thought aside ('_Things are going great. I shouldn't ruin it by worrying so much_'), she focused her attention back on her wounded companion. Satisfied that she had healed all she could, Katara bent her water back into the pouch at her side, saying, "There, good as new. How does it feel?"

"Great, thanks," he said, stretching his arms experimentally. Truthfully, it had felt better while she was still healing him, but he knew that couldn't last forever.

'_Maybe I should jump off of speeding ostrich-horses more often,_' he thought, mostly joking. Mostly – it was still tempting.

"So, what's the plan?" Ursa asked. "Any more detours to make, or are we headed straight for the temple?"

"Straight for the temple – we've taken too long as it is."

She nodded, then, glancing up at the sun, asked, "Want to get something to eat before we continue?"

"_Yes!_" Nikko immediately responded, clutching her stomach dramatically. "I'm starving."

Smiling at the child's antics, Katara got to her feet. "I'll see if I can find some fish in the river."

"Good idea," Ursa agreed. "Why don't you go with her and see if you can find some fruit, Nikko?"

"'Kay!" the little girl agreed, skipping after the waterbender.

Once they were both out of earshot, she turned on her son, who had started to stand. "You stay right where you are."

Cringing, he lowered himself back to the ground. "You noticed, didn't you?"

"It was hard not to. You already knew I suspected, so why make it so obvious?"

"It's hard not to," he mimicked with a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. "What should I do? I mean, do you think she knows, or maybe likes me back?"

"Katara's smart but modest, so I doubt she'd be overly suspicious," Ursa said comfortingly, though the wide grin her face revealed just how much she was enjoying the situation.

"And?" the firebender pressed, eager and apprehensive. "Does she like me?"

"I wouldn't know – you'll have to ask her yourself."

"No!" he groaned, burying his head in his hands. "You know how awkward that'll be! I already act like an idiot around her."

"Don't worry so much," she said, patting his shoulder. "You're very cute when you're awkward – sort of like a baby turtle-duck learning to walk its first time out of the pond."

"Great. Now I'm a waddling ball of fluff."

"Girls like cute things," she assured him. "Just go talk to her about it. She's a very nice person, so I doubt she'd be harsh even if she doesn't like you."

The prospect of rejection made his insides squirm and his heart pound fretfully, despite the promise of a gentle let down. Wiping his sweaty palms on his knees, he bit his lip and stared in the direction Katara had taken. "What do I say? You know I'm terrible with words."

"Just tell her how you feel. It doesn't have to be anything poetic or fancy."

'_I'm not so good at the feelings part, either,_' he thought but decided against saying aloud. His mother was trying to help – he shouldn't criticize her every suggestion.

Giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze, Ursa smiled encouragingly. "Go on. Go talk to her."

"Wha-? _Now?_ I can't-"

"It'll only get harder the longer you dwell on it," she said, getting to her feet and pulling him with her. "Besides, if what you've told me is true, you'll have to compete for her attention when you get back to the temple."

Reluctantly, he gave in to his mother's urging, heading in the direction Katara had taken. As he moved toward the sound of the river, he took deep, even breaths in a vain attempt to calm his racing heart, trying to convince himself that confessing was no big deal.

The waterbender stood on the riverbank, a pile of flopping fish at her feet, a satisfied smile on her face. Noticing him in her peripheral, she looked up, smile changing to the friendly one she always directed at him. Gesturing to the fish, she asked, "Do you think this'll be enough?"

Well, running away was out of the question.

"Uh, yeah, sure," he said, mouth feeling oddly dry. Licking his lips, he moved closer, unable to meet her eyes. "Hey, could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, what's up?"

How could she be so casual about this? Damn her ignorance to his situation!

"See, I uh... I kind of, um... I really..." he stuttered awkwardly, wondering why something so simple refused to roll off his tongue.

Then she was right beside him with a gentle, comforting hand on his shoulder. When she spoke, she sounded concerned; "If something's wrong, you know you can tell me, right?"

"No! Nothing's wrong! At least, _I_ don't think it's wrong, because, um, I just I..."

His vocal cords seemed to cut off at that point, refusing to make another sound and leaving him to open and close his mouth like the dying fish at their feet. He didn't care what his mother said – words were _hard._

'_Maybe I should just act. I've always been good at taking action.'_

He breathed deep to ease the panic quickly rising in his chest. He could do this. It wasn't political mind games or assembling an airship from scratch; it was telling a very pretty, kind, gentle, infuriating, stubborn girl (who was standing _way_ too close) that he liked her. A lot.

Gathering all his courage, he leaned forward and-

"Look! I found berries!"

Zuko froze, clenching his fists. Of all the times in the world, this was when he had least wanted to be interrupted by Nikko.

"We'll talk later," he said, pulling away from Katara with a sigh. Then he turned and hurried away, not wanting to risk any prying questions.

XxXx

Katara followed the firebender back to camp, a bundle of fish in her arms, and Nikko babbling at her side. She wondered at Zuko's strange behaviour – the only time he had ever acted so nervous and uncertain was when he offered to join the Avatar, an understandably daunting task. And when Nikko had interrupted them, an odd mix of anger, relief, and disappointment had flashed across his face.

But what could he possibly need to tell her that would make him so anxious? Searching her memories for anything involving her that could possibly be related to his odd behaviour, she could only think of his discussion with Ursa, the one that had ended to abruptly when she walked into the room.

'_I told myself not to think about that,'_ she scolded.

Still...

What if they were planning something? Zuko had her full trust (or thought he did. She wasn't sure how much she trusted him anymore), and Ursa knew a dozen secrets about the Avatar and his friends, including the location of their current hideout. It would be easy to sneak into the temple – or, really, just _walk_ in – and kill off the Avatar or whatever else they might intend.

And Ursa was always staring at her, almost as though she were sizing her up or something, asking for displays of her waterbending and inquiring about the extent of her healing...

Maybe Zuko was trying to warn her, but feared Katara's inevitable wrath.

'_Where's Toph when you need her?'_ Katara thought with a sigh.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Not much to say about this chapter. Awkward!Zuko is fun to write, and I'm amazed at how perfectly-but-accidentally I set up the whole Zuko/Ursa-betrayal theory Katara's got going on._

_Anywho, enjoy!  
_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	20. Chapter 20

Zuko kept his back turned as Katara crawled into their sleeping bag, pretending he was asleep to evade conversation. The rest of the day had been horrendously awkward and uncomfortable (for him, anyway), consisting of walking, silence, more walking, and a lot of avoiding-eye-contact-yet-somehow-getting-caught-staring. Not just on his end, either – he had noticed Katara sending him a contemplative, lingering gaze a few times, and couldn't help wondering if she had figured things out.

Part of him hoped she had; it would save him the trouble of explaining later. The other part hoped she never found out, just so he wouldn't have to worry about her reaction.

His mother wasn't helping things. The instant they had the chance to talk without being overhead, she was pestering him about what had happened and if he had told Katara and was the response good or bad and why didn't the help the poor girl carry all that fish? He appreciated her enthusiasm – he really did – but it got tiring fast, especially when all he wanted to do at the time was find a hole to crawl in and never come out.

At least she was kind enough to realize he didn't want to make a second attempt.

Nikko was curious and talkative as usual (the only reason it was never completely silent was her). However, her questions about what Zuko and Katara had been doing together never got an answer – Zuko didn't care to relive the experience, let alone explain it to a five year old, Katara wasn't even sure what had happened, and Ursa hadn't been a witness to the event. She was reasonably grumpy by the time they stopped to make camp.

So things were awkward and awful, and Zuko didn't know what to do. They were a day, maybe two, away from the temple. When they got there, Katara would be too caught up in chores and training and caring for friends and family to give him any attention. On the one hand, this would be a welcome relief – the familiar chaos and crowd of the temple would take away some of the uncomfortable tension and nerves of being one of the only people around her. And he would be busy, too, giving him less time to daydream pointlessly about her and their impossible future.

On the other hand, he knew he would miss the peaceful, relative solitude of travelling with the waterbender, and the jealousy caused by seeing Aang blatantly display his feelings would probably kill him (or maybe the airbender – it all depended on how he handled his temper).

At least he could enjoy their remaining time alone together, however short it may be. Like now, curled up beside her under the night sky, listening to her breathe, feeling her warmth, being allowed to wrap his arms around her and blame it on unconscious actions...

Wait, no. _No_ –that was wrong, _very_ wrong. Wrong and bad and _no! _He was taking advantage of the situation and her, which was dishonourable and sleazy and _wrong_. It didn't matter that he had been so almost every night since they started their journey – he had been oblivious to his feelings for the majority of the time, and hadn't realized there was any advantage _to_ gain when he finally did acknowledge his affections.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked sleepily when he slipped out of their sleeping bag, rolling over to look at him through half-lidded eyes.

"Uh... bathroom," he lied, smiling nervously.

Satisfied, she turned away again, murmuring, "Goodnight."

Letting out a quiet breath, he moved to the edge of the clearing and sank down against a thick tree. From there he could see the others curled up in their sleeping bags, oblivious t everything but their dreams. Above him, stars speckled the sky, a brightly glowing moon taking center stage, just barely beginning to wane. It reminded him of the North Pole, when he had battled her in the oasis under the almost-full moon, her sudden mastery of waterbending both impressive and infuriating,

Looking back, things had been simple then. It was hunt the Avatar, capture the Avatar, return home with honour and his father's love, and do whatever necessary to achieve these goals. He didn't have to worry about anyone but himself and his uncle – everyone else was an obstacle or a tool.

Now, everyone had a name and a story and goals of their own, and _he_ was the one trying to help them, even if it meant personal sacrifice. It was often complicated and confusing and tiring.

But would he ever want to change it?

Letting his gaze drift over each slumbering girl, lingering on Katara the longest, he smiled as he let his eyes slowly drift closed.

'_Not a chance_.'

XxXx

"Zuko?" someone called quietly, prodding his side. "Zuko, wake up. We need to get moving."

Stirring, he winced at the feeling of hard bark pressing into this back. Why wasn't he in his sleeping bag? Trees were hardly a comfortable bed.

Squinting up at the person in front of him, he was greeted by the sight of Katara smiling, her hair already pulled into a topknot, her blue gaze curious.

Right. _That_ was the reason.

"Why are you sleeping over here?" she asked, helping him to his feet.

"Uh, I... didn't want to wake you?" he said uncertainly, hoping it sounded believable.

Apparently, it did, because she just shook her head and said he shouldn't worry about such silly things.

"Eat quickly," Ursa said, holding out a bowl of food to him. "We want to get back to your friends soon, right?"

Nodding, he accepted the meal, missing the suspicious look Katara sent his mother.

The group had only been walking for fifteen minutes when Nikko declared she was tired and sat down in the middle of the path, refusing to move. She had been moody and uncooperative all morning, according to Ursa, getting out of bed an earlier than normal and taking twice as long to get ready for the day. It appeared she wasn't in the mood to walk anywhere, either.

The long journey was starting to take its toll on her. She probably missed having a warm bed to sleep in and a stable place to stay, instead of sleeping on the ground and constantly moving somewhere new. It was yet another reason why they needed to get back to the Air Temple as quickly as possible.

Sighing, Zuko stooped down with his back facing her, saying over his shoulder, "Climb on. I'll carry you."

Thankfully, she liked this idea and hopped on without complaint.

"Why is Temple so far away?" she asked after a moment, chin rested on his shoulder, arms around his neck and legs wrapped half-way around his middle, supported by the prince's arms.

"We're almost there," Katara assured her rather than actually answering the question. She was walking beside the firebender, who couldn't help noticing the fleeting looks she frequently sent him. Maybe she had figured out what he wanted to say the day before – it seemed like she wanted to talk about something, but every time she opened her mouth to say speak, she glanced back at Ursa and clammed up.

The thought that she might have figured things out put his mind into a tailspin. It was an unreasonable reaction, since he had planned on telling the waterbender everything sooner or later, but the idea still unnerved him. Maybe it was because he wasn't prepared to face her reaction, yet.

He knew he would have to tell her soon; the time left before they reached the temple was short. This time, however, he would be _ready_ – he wasn't going to let the chance slip way again.

XxXx

"Could I... talk to you for a minute?"

Katara hesitated a moment before nodding, watching Zuko subconsciously chew his lip, obviously nervous about whatever topic he was about to broach. She found herself anxious at the thought of what he might tell her – his traitorous plans, no doubt.

She followed to a spot a few feet away, out of earshot and sight of Nikko and Ursa. Observing his body language (mostly fidgeting and not-so-subtle attempts to calm himself), she waited for him to speak, bracing herself for the inevitable truth.

But the firebender only stammered for a second, silencing as he glanced around uncertainly, apparently second-guessing his decision.

A frown found her lips. She hadn't spent the whole morning worrying about what he and his mother were going to do to Aang just to have him continue keeping it a secret! Did she honestly think she was so stupid as to not notice, or care, or wonder why he was acting so strange? Did he think he could ask to talk to her, then run away each time and not raise suspicious?

She _deserved_ to know the truth, no matter how awful it may be. After putting her trust and friendship and secrets into him, she had earned the right to know everything.

"If you have something to tell me, just say it!" It came out a bit more forcefully than she had intended. When Zuko just blinked, wide-eyed, at her she growled in annoyance. "Actually, don't bother explaining. I think I've got a pretty good idea what you're going to say."

This only served to make his eyes grow larger. "Y-you... You already know?"

"Yeah, it's pretty obvious. I mean, do you honestly think I'm stupid enough not to?"

"N-no, I just..." He looked about ready to faint.

"Just what?" she prodded, eyes narrowing threateningly. It felt like when she had still held her grudge against him, and endless supply of anger and betrayal pouring out from an unknown source. She had tried to hold it in since the horrible idea of him scheming against her entered her brain, but it was so hard to contain, especially when he continued to deny her the truth. Part of her just wanted to scream as loud and long as she could to end it and the head-ache inducing thoughts it brought. The rest was too busy feeling angry and betrayed to do anything but snarl at Zuko and tear apart his every word and action.

"I'm sorry," he said earnestly, shock giving way to confusion, maybe a little fear. "I didn't think you'd get this mad, I-"

"_Didn't think I'd be mad?"_ she exploded. "Why wouldn't I? You think just because I've forgiven you means I won't another betrayal?"

"_Betrayal?_ Katara-"

"You think I won't care if you stab all my friends in the back? That-"

"Look," Zuko cut in, holding up his hands defensively, "I don't know why you find this so upsetting, but I think you're overreacting. If you don't like it, you can just forget we ever had this conversation."

"_Forget it?_ Oh, and then what? Close my eyes and plug my ears while you and Ursa slaughter Aang and bring his head home on a platter?"

It was as she said this that something else clicked in her mind: a motive. If bringing Aang home in shackles would win back Zuko's 'honour', then surely a _dead_ Avatar would pay for the price of two Fire Nation traitors. It was so sickeningly appropriate, especially now that she knew the family history.

Zuko seemed to have realized something at that moment, too, because after staring at her like she had just grown bison horns, he burst into laughter.

"You think this is funny?"

"Yes," he admitted, struggling to speak through his laughter. "You've got everything completely mixed up."

"Really? Do enlighten me to the truth, then," she said, arms crossed and expression dubious.

"My mom wants nothing more than to live happily with whatever sane family members she has left, and to help get rid of the ones causing havoc. There's no big conspiracy to kill everyone when you least expect it."

"That doesn't explain why you've been acting so strange," she protested, determined to expose the true nature of his intentions. "I mean, you keep having all these secretive conversations with Ursa, and she gave me this weird, cryptic message before we left Nikko at her house, and now you say you have something to say to me but won't say it!"

Zuko was silent for a few minutes after her short tirade, knowing he had to spill his feelings if he wanted any hope of her trusting him again, but wanting to delay the inevitable as long as he could.

"I-" he paused, forcing his thoughts to slow down and order themselves. Sometimes, in situations like this, it was best to be completely blunt. "I really, really like you and it's driving me crazy."

"_You-!_" she stopped, blinking. "Wait... Wh-what do you mean?" That couldn't be his answer; it didn't make any sense. This was supposed to be the part where she screamed and cried and made him regret his decision, but never forgave him in return. She was supposed to be telling him what a sorry excuse for a human being he was, not wondering what exactly he meant by '_I really, really like you_'.

"I mean I'm crazy about you. I can't stop thinking about you, no matter where we are or what we're doing. I'm terrified by the thought of you getting hurt," he went on, amazed by how easily everything poured out once he got started, "and when those earthbenders captured you, all I could focus on was saving you. I didn't eat, or want to rest when the others got tired, or even talked to them. I just-"

"Stop!" Katara interrupted, holding up a hand as though to enforce the statement. "You... You're lying. You're trying to trick me. I won't fall for it," she shook her head, backing away a step. "I won't."

"How can I prove it to you?" he asked, approaching her as she retreated, refusing to let the distance between them grow. "I'll do anything."

"You can't. The only person who can prove anything is Toph."

The firebender stared at her mutely, thinking, eyes filled with hurt. She stood firm, adhering to her statement and telling herself this was all part of his elaborate scheme.

"Guys?" they heard Nikko's voice call from beyond the line of trees. Her mood had improved considerably since that morning. "We're leaving! Hurry up!"

"Be right there!" Zuko shouted back, gaze never leaving Katara. To her, he said, "Alright. We should be able to reach the temple in a few hours. My mother and I will wait up top while you go down, get Toph, and come back to see how honest we are. Sound fair?"

"Fine," she agreed, already stalking back toward camp. The build up of emotions continued to swirl inside her chest, the confusion and anger and worry and sadness almost choking.

The next few hours would be pure torture, but at least she was going to get the truth.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Sorry for the delay. I had a bit of writer's block last week (and a bit this week, too), and was actually kinda busy with other things. But, the update is here, _and_ it's longer than usual, so I hope you're happy with it. Sorry if there's issues with the flow and/or grammar - my brain wasn't in the mood for proper editing. _

_Couple more chapters left then this thing is finished. Huzzah! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews you keep leaving!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. **


	21. Chapter 21

"Here we are."

The group stood at the edge of a canyon, the sun warm on their backs as a gentle breeze tugging at their hair and clothes. Staring out across the gorge, Ursa raised a sceptical eyebrow, sharing the same reaction many others did upon reaching the Western Air Temple. Nikko looked toward the clouds, searching for a looming building on their fluffy surface.

"Are you sure this is the spot?" Ursa asked, grabbing Nikko's hand to keep her from going too close to the edge.

Katara's only response was to blow into a bison-shaped whistle, earning more sceptical stares when no sound came out. However, their doubt quickly vanished when, a moment later, Appa groaned in response and his hulking figure appeared through the mist. Landing beside them, he immediately began smothering Zuko with sloppy kisses.

Rolling her eyes a little (why was Appa so trusting of him? Didn't animals have sharp instincts when it came to bad guys?), the waterbender pulled herself up onto the bison's saddle. When the others went to follow she shook her head, saying, "You guys wait here. I need to check something first."

Then with a flick of the reigns and a 'Yip-yip!', Appa was drifting down into the canyon, carrying her toward her friends. It wasn't until she saw them all waving eagerly and shouting that she realized just how much she had missed them.

"Where's Zuko?"

"Did you find his mom?"

"You didn't kill him, did you?"

The demands of the prince's presence forced her happiness to the side, paranoia and anger back at the forefront of her mind. She just hoped her friends wouldn't be too devastated by Zuko's betrayal. That they wouldn't feel the same hurt she did.

"Toph, I need to you to verify something for me."

The blind girl raised her eyebrows. "Really? You're not still holding that stupid grudge, are you?"

"No," Katara said honestly, grabbing her friend's hand and pulling her toward the bison.

"Okay, I guess this means I'm coming with you. Thanks for giving me a choice," Toph said sarcastically, raised eyebrows lowering into a scowl.

Soon, they were back to the top of the canyon, where Zuko, Nikko, and Ursa were waiting. Sliding off the bison, Katara strode over to the prince, knowing Toph was close behind.

Pointing a finger at him, she ordered, "Tell her what you told me earlier."

He made no protest, only sighing heavily before saying, "I told her I have no intention of hurting the Avatar or any of his friends in any way, and that... th-that I really like her."

"Truth, not to mention completely obvious," Toph said, arms crossed and sightless eyes fixed on the waterbender, narrowed in annoyance. "You called me up here for _this_?"

"Well... What about her?" she demanded, pointing at Ursa instead. The former Fire Lady stiffened, eyes widening, then seeming to droop sadly. The wrinkles in her skin were more prominent when she held such a hurt expression.

"My only intentions are to make up for lost time with my son," she said quietly.

"Truth."

Katara's anger was quickly fading, replaced by embarrassment and desperation. Flustered, she glanced between the mother and son, searching for something o counter their lies. "B-but... All the secretive conversations! The weird looks you kept sending me, the requests to see my bending! _The cryptic message_!"

"What cryptic message?"

"'To reopen old wounds is to prevent healing and deepen scars.' You can't tell me that's just friendly medical advice!"

But the woman, rather than breaking down and apologizing or begging for forgiveness, began _laughing_ (why did they always have to laugh? These were serious accusations!). With a shake of her head she chuckled, "No, it's not. It's an old Fire Nation proverb about forgiveness – I thought it might make you think about how you treated my son."

"I- but-" Katara fumbled, searching for some reason to cling to her anger (it was hard to let go of when it had consumed her so much moments before), but instead finding herself speechless and wavering between a whirlwind of emotions. This couldn't be it. Things couldn't be that simple...

"Why are you angry at each other?" Nikko asked, huddling close to Ursa's leg, eyes wide and worried.

"It's just a misunderstanding," Zuko comforted, ruffling her hair affectionately, while keeping his gaze locked on the stunned waterbender. "Everything's fine now. Right, Katara?"

"I..." She glanced between the Fire Nation royalty, hurt lingering in both pairs of golden eyes, then turned to Toph, who seemed rather tired with the whole situation. There was no one left to argue with, nothing left argue _about_. "Yeah, I guess. We're okay now."

"Great," the blind girl chimed in, "glad we could clear that up. Mind explaining why you brought a toddler with you?"

"Long story short, some earthbenders misdirected their anger and destroyed her village," Zuko explained. "We found her and sort of... adopted her."

Nikko waved cheerfully at the other girl. "Hi, I'm Nikko. Why do your eyes look weird?"

"They don't work right," Katara answered for her, resisting the urge to cringe at the child's bluntness. "She sees with her feet instead."

The young girl studied the earthbender's feet, frowning thoughtfully. "I don't see any eyes."

"That's 'cause I see through vibrations in the earth."

Nikko looked like she wanted to ask more, but a distant shout prevented her. The group turned to see Aang shoot up from the canyon on his glider, grinning widely.

"What's taking so long?" he asked, landing in the middle of the small crowd. Then, looking at Ursa and Nikko, he added, "Who are they?"

"We'll make introductions later," Zuko said, patience thinning. "Could we get back to the temple, now?"

Nobody made any protest to the suggestion. The group piled onto Appa and flew down into the gorge, Aang leading on his glider.

"It's magnificent," Ursa gasped when the upside-down structure came into view. "Just as Iroh described..."

"Do we have to walk on the ceiling?" Nikko asked, taking in the sight with wide, curious eyes. She was clinging tightly to Zuko's arm, but seemed to have forgotten her fear now that she was faced with awe-inspiring view.

The scarred teen chuckled, smiling. "Technically, yes."

Watching the two interact, Katara wondered why it was so easy to feel hatred and mistrust to such an obviously kind-hearted person. Shouldn't he be the person she felt the instinctive need to help and support?

Then again, it didn't make much sense that someone like him had once been hell-bent on destroying the world's last chance for peace, especially now that he was so determined to _save_ the world.

Maybe he would always be a bundle of incomprehensible contradictions.

"It's about time!" Sokka scolded when they arrived down in the temple. "What took you so long? We were worried sick about you!"

"Didn't you get the letter?" Katara asked, hands on hips.

"Yeah."

"Well, it explains things quite clearly – we ran into more trouble than we expected."

"Th-that's not an _explanation!_" he exclaimed, flailing like he usually did when flustered. "That's a vague, worrying excuse!"

"It's a long story," she sighed. "Can we at least rest a little first? We've been walking all day and the sun's about to set."

"Fine. But I want answers sooner or later!"

"You'll get them," she assured, rolling her eyes slightly. Turning to Ursa, she smiled apologetically, hesitantly asked, "Can you handle introductions while me and Zuko put our things away?"

"Of course," she said, smiling in a tired but relieved manner. "I'd love the chance to meet all your friends."

With that, Zuko and Katara gathered their things and headed further inside the temple, down the corridor toward the bedrooms. Her room was at the very end of the hall, but she stopped at the first room (his) instead.

"Do you need something?" he asked, letting his bag drop onto the bed.

Standing in the doorway, watching him unpack as the fading sunlight shone through his window, she was instantly reminded of when he had first joined them. She had been so awful to him, and he had just... _taken_ it, still willing to stay by her side no matter what she said to him.

Her hatred had felt justified then – she still believed it was, to a point. Now, the anger she had felt moments earlier just seemed... childish.

"I'm sorry."

He looked up from the items he had been pulling from his pack, obvious surprise on his face.

"For being so mean to you," she clarified, hugging her right arm against her side. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions."

"Well, you believe me now, right? That's what counts."

The memory of what she was supposed to believe – that he _loved_ her rather than wanting to kill her – made the guilt gnawing at her stomach intensify.

No doubt he wanted some sort of response to his confession, something Katara was reluctant to give. It just seemed far too cruel to hate him, trust him, jump to conclusions and hate him again, trust him again, then tell him she didn't feel the same way she did.

And he had been nothing but kind to her, protecting and helping and putting up with all her spiteful behaviour. That deserved _some_ kind of reward, right?

"Don't," Zuko commanded, reading her thoughts. He facing her fully now, offering the full effect of his intense golden stare. "Don't give me anything out of pity. If I like you I like you – I don't ask for anything in return."

"But... It's just that I've been so awful to you and-"

"And what?" he cut in. "I don't care. I still have feelings for you anyway."

Katara found herself at a loss. It felt wrong to always be hurting and disappointing him, especially when he had proven himself to be nothing but selfless. But, at the same point, she didn't want to lead him on or disrespect his wishes.

So what could she do?

"Alright," she sighed, reluctant. "I'll find another way to make it up to you."

He smiled, turning back to the task of unpacking. "Just have a little more faith in me the next you're suspicious, alright?"

Nodding, she turned to the door, intending on heading to her room to put away her things. She barely had one foot out the door when Zuko's voice stopped her.

"We're... friends now, right?" he asked, eyebrows furrowed worriedly.

A tugging grin tugged at her lips as she was once again reminded who hid beneath the rough, stubborn exterior of the rough prince.

"Of course we are."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Almost done! This story has one chapter let, which I'm looking forward to writing. =D _

_Certain aspects of this chapter were kinda awkward/tricky to write, but I'm overall happy with how it came out. Sorry if it seems rushed and choppy, though. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	22. Chapter 22

The red and blue flames clashed, exploding around them, filling the air with choking smoke and smouldering ash. Sozin's Comet burned bright in the sky, its crimson light overpowering the silvery glow of the moon and stars.

Standing on the sidelines of the intense Agni Kai, Katara felt her heart clench every time Azula's fire got too close to Zuko. He shouldn't have been fighting alone. This was _not_ the plan they had agreed on. They were supposed to take on his crazy sister _together_, something even the great General Iroh thought would be the best plan of action.

But, no. Instead, Zuko agreed to a one-on-one battle with one of the most powerful firebenders in the world.

Still, even as fear swelled inside her chest, Katara couldn't help feeling awed as well. The flames the two siblings created were enormous, the battleground filling with each blast. And, despite his prodigious sister's enhanced strength and completely merciless attitude, Zuko held off every strike seemingly effortlessly, perfectly calm and controlled.

She had never seen him fight in such a way before. It was incredible; a true display of what a powerful bender he had become.

Unable to defend herself against one of his strikes, Azula was knocked back, rolling painfully across the ground. Moving to a spot where she could see around the prince, Katara listened to him taunt his sister. A knot slowly twisted her gut.

Breathing deep and bracing himself for the lightning, Zuko was the epitome of calm and focus. His obvious confidence was a slight reassurance, easing the tense feeling in Katara's stomach.

Then Azula struck, the electricity leaping not toward her brother, but instead directed at the sole bystander. The waterbender's feet seemed to glue themselves in place at that moment, refusing to budge no matter what her mind screamed at them. The world slowed and silenced, until it was just her and the lightning inching forward, a blue deadlier than any she had seen before. Her heart felt as though it had already stopped.

She was going to die. At barely fifteen, she was going to die and leave behind everyone she cared about. Suddenly, her mind was whirlwind of thoughts and memories; all the awful things she had done, people she never apologized to or told how much she cared, the wonderful things she had only _dreamed_ about ever doing.

Was this where it all ended?

Then, in an instant, something was blocking the oncoming lightning. But it didn't come as a relief – her insides twisted tighter as her heart was squeezed in a cold, iron grip.

Because it was _Zuko_.

It was the shout that caught her attention – a pained, desperate 'no' as the crackling blue rushed closer with barely enough time for him to stop it. Horrified, she watched him careen toward the ground, sparks flying from his body, the lightning seeming to be trapped inside his chest.

A moment later, the bolt shot out, illuminating the sky and the tortured expression on Zuko's face.

He couldn't die. Not now, not ever. Aang needed him, the Fire Nation needed him – _Katara_ needed him.

Every memory she had of him (every word, every action, every moment of silent understanding or angry shouting matches) flooded through her mind, overwhelmingly relentless. The fist around her heart squeezed tighter, a grip of icy fear and sorrow and devastation stronger than anything she could ever remember.

Finally, her feet unglued themselves and the knot of insides loosened to release her vocal cords. Dashing forward, she let out her own pained, desperate shout.

"Zuko!"

XxXx

Belly-down on the hard, scorched earth, Zuko was acutely aware of the fire continuing to explode around and inside him. However, the agony of his wound was pushed to the back of his mind (as much as it could be, anyway), overpowered by the knowledge that it was now _Katara_ fighting off his sister.

He had no doubt in the waterbender's strength – just fear for the fact that Azula was clearly insane and stronger than ever thanks to the comet.

Lifting his head, he reached a shaking hand toward the two battling females, wincing at the white-hot pain and the blue flames narrowly missing Katara.

This wasn't right. He was supposed to be the one taking all the damage, all the risks, while _she_ escaped to somewhere safer! He was supposed to take the bolt and tell her to run somewhere – _anywhere_ – as long as it was away from Azula.

Everything was completely backwards and he was helpless to change it. He couldn't keep fighting (the slightest movement sent more electricity stabbing through him), he couldn't shout (too painful – all he could manage was a strained, breathless whisper), he couldn't rewind time and better prepare himself for the unexpected, low move.

So he squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his forehead to the ground and trying to ignore the explosions surrounding him. He didn't want to risk having Katara's death as his last memory.

The explosions and taunting cries seemed to last forever. Finally, they ceased, allowing an eerie silence to fall over the smouldering battle field. Zuko was too pained and too worried to lift his head and see the victor.

He didn't need to, however. Gentle hands were slowly, carefully turning him over, and he knew immediately who had won. Relief and agony surged through him simultaneously. A familiar sensation touched his abdomen as healing water soothed the searing lightning wound.

He barely had a second to enjoy the absence of burning in his stomach; Katara engulfed him in a crushing hug in an instant, arms wrapped tightly around his neck and head buried against his shoulder. A few tears trickled down her cheeks to his shirt, seeping through the fabric and onto his skin.

"K-Katara?" he managed to gasp, his still-tender injury not taking well to being crushed.

"Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you," she whispered in a rush. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry. For everything. I-" she cut off, choking on a sob. Taking a deep, shaky breath, she murmured a few more 'thank-you's.

For a minute, he wondered who she was thanking.

However, the moment was difficult to enjoy – he was torn between returning the embrace and letting her hold him for the next century, or telling her to get off him so he could breathe properly.

Eventually, she decided for him, sitting up and smiling tearfully at him. "Thank-you."

An enraged scream interrupted them. The pair turned to see Azula chained to a drainage grate, spitting blue flames in a fit of hysterics. The sight actually made Zuko pity her, something he never in his life thought would happen.

"C'mon," Katara said, easing him to his feet after a moment of solemn staring. "Let's get out of here."

XxXx

Later, they were drifting through the clouds on Appa's back, prince leaning against peasant for support. It was unusually peaceful, the war still raging below them forgotten in favour of the bliss of their solitude in the sky.

With the panic and chaos of the battles no longer disrupting her mind, Katara was able to think clearly and realize how crazy the earlier events had been. The ideas and worries and possibilities that had filled her thoughts when Zuko took that bolt... His weight at her side made it impossible to forget.

Really, though, it was the magnitude of the fear she felt that made the biggest impact. Not even Aang or Sokka or her own father had warranted that amount of distress.

She found herself thinking back to his confession (It seemed so long ago, yet, at the same time, as though it had happened just days before), to how she had believed his feelings would forever be unrequited. Maybe she had been wrong. Maybe it was possible that, somehow, she had fallen for him, too...

That was a dangerous place to let her mind wander, she decided, and promptly forced a change in subject.

"So... What are we going to do with Nikko once all this is over?"

Zuko shifted slightly, keeping his arm draped around her shoulders while pulling away enough to see her face. "I guess... If we win, I could take her back to the palace. If not-"

"Don't think like that!" she quickly chastised. "Aang _will_ defeat the Fire Lord."

"Alright then. I'll take her back to the palace," he decided. Then, eyes widening, he rushed to add, "If that's okay with you, I mean. If you wanna take her back to the Water Tribe, that's-"

"It's fine," she assured him. With a shy smile, she glanced away, hesitantly adding, "I think the palace would be a more suitable place for us to live."

"... _Us?_"

Staring down at the reigns in her hands, Katara wondered how red her cheeks had turned. She knew he was hoping for some kind of explanation; however, she had none to give. When and where and how was a mystery, but she had fallen for the prince in spite of their past grudges and fighting and hate.

Actually, that wasn't quite right. It was _because of_ all they had been through. They had known each other at their best and worst, seen each other through thick and thin, yet persevered through it all. Yes, there were moments of honest hatred, but it was something they (well, _she_) always got passed.

It was amazing, really, thinking back on it.

"I..." she started, tentative, choosing her words carefully. "I think... maybe we should try raising Nikko together. And, maybe, while we're at it, we could... give dating a try?"

For a moment, Zuko only stared at her, eyes wide and jaw slack. "R-Really? You're serious?"

"Why would I be lying?"

He was silent, continuing to stare in mute disbelief, mouth struggling to form words. Not for the first time, Katara found herself amazed at how quickly he could go from frighteningly determined to sputtering and awkward.

"So, what do you say? Wanna give it a shot?"

"I... Yeah, okay. Y-yeah."

Smiling at how red his cheeks had turned and knowing hers probably looked the same, Katara allowed herself to lean against the prince and lose herself in his warmth...

Then he winced and let out a muted gasp of pain. Pulling back, she began apologizing fervently and checked his wound for signs of further damage. After he assured her that he was alright ("I'm just a little sore! Calm down!"), she allowed herself to relax again, though was careful not to put any pressure on him. Instead, he resumed leaning against her.

They drifted through the clouds, comet fading from sight on the horizon. Soon, their friends and the fallen Fire Lord came into view, waving and shouting and eager to retell the story of their victory.

A smile tugged insistently at Katara's lips.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Sorry I took a while to get this up. Weekend was more crazy than usual. xP_

_Anyway, I really hope you guys enjoyed this fic and that ending is satisfying. I really, _really_ appreciate all the feedback and encouragement you've given me. I hope you like whatever fics I write in the future as much as (or more than) this one.  
_

_Uhhh... I'd say more, but I gotta go help put my Christmas tree up. Happy Holidays!_

**Disclaimer: 'Avatar' and its characters do not belong to me. **


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